Unforeseen
by SilverFire07
Summary: Princess Elena Gilbert is head over heels for Prince and Knight Stefan Salvatore. Just when they decide to get married, his older brother and heir to the throne of Mystic Falls, Damon Salvatore shows up, bringing nothing but trouble. Elena's whole life will change when she is forced to marry Damon instead of Stefan. Will their marriage survive once she learns his dark secrets?
1. Chapter 1

**UNFORESEEN**

**Disclaimer : I don't own The Vampire Diaries or any of its characters. (Although I do wish I owned the Salvatore brothers.)**

**Hey everyone! This is a Vampire Diaries fanfiction set in the medieval era. I would like to clear a few things before we begin:**

**It's all human. Don't get me wrong, I love vampires and all very much but humans seemed more fitting for this story.**

**If you are looking for a story which has historical accuracy, you won't find it here. This is a fanfiction written for fun and although I try my best to stick to the customs and traditions of that time, I am no historian and there may be some mistakes. **

**A time or a place doesn't exist for this story (although it's set roughly between the 11****th****-12****th**** century.) **

**Lastly, I hope you enjoy! I don't mind constructive criticism and I would love to have some feedback on this story :) **

**Chapter 1**

I looked over my shoulder for the third time as I slipped into the woods that spread out behind the castle. With the long skirts of my fine silk gown gathered up in my hands so that I didn't step over the hem, I kept my head down and hurried away along a narrow dirt path on which I had walked a thousand times. I glanced around nervously as an owl hooted nearby. It was a moonless night and even the stars were hidden from view by the canopy of trees above me, so I was just walking along blindly, depending entirely on my sense of direction. I gave a small sigh of relief as the clearing came into view and I sped up my already fast pace and stepped over dry leaves and twigs to make my way over between the trees.

"Stefan?" I whispered, glancing around. There was no sign of him anywhere.

"Stefan!" I called out a bit more loudly, my heart pounding loudly in my chest, due to fear and exertion both.

Suddenly someone grabbed me from behind by the waist and I let out a small muffled scream, trying to wrench away from my captor.

"Elena, hush! It's me, Stefan." He whispered frantically in my ear, trying to calm me down. I instantly relaxed in his arms, putting a hand over my heart which was beating so loudly that I could almost hear it in my own ears. I shoved him away and crossed my arms over my chest, huffing.

"Is this the way to greet a lady, Ser Stefan? You scared me to death!" I said, putting on a disapproving expression although inside, my heart was rejoicing on seeing him again. He grinned and bent down on one knee in front of me, taking my hand into his own and kissing it softly on the back.

"My apologies, my Lady." He whispered as he got up. "I am yours to punish."

I smiled at that, closing the distance between us. "You will be punished." I replied, putting my arms around his neck and pulling him closer to me so that our foreheads rested together.

"I missed you, Elena." He whispered, his stunning green- blue eyes staring into my ordinary brown ones. That's the first thing I had noticed about him when we first met, his eyes. I had envied him for his pale skin and his beautifully colored eyes. I knew that I was beautiful and I had hundreds of admirers from many kingdoms. I was famed for my rich golden hued skin and my long flowing black hair. Even my eyes were of a dark color, which was uncommon for people of my kingdom, who were usually fair haired and fair skinned. My handmaiden Bonnie had told me that singers even sang of my beauty in other kingdoms, calling me "The Raven" due to my appearance, which I found utterly ridiculous. It was a good thing I wasn't vain like most princesses I knew.

"We met only two days ago, my handsome prince." I purred in his ear, teasing him.

"Two days is long enough, I can't wait to marry you." He replied, smiling down at me. I reached up and pressed my lips softly to kiss once. Then again. And again. I couldn't stop kissing him for a long time and by the time we stopped; we both were very out of breath and panting. Stefan Salvatore was the prince of Mystic Falls and the youngest son of Giuseppe Salvatore, the present king of the Falls. He had an older sister, Caroline Salvatore who was my greatest friend. Apart from her, he also had an older brother who was also a knight and had left Mystic Falls when he was young to fight tournaments and bring honor to his house. My father, King Grayson Gilbert was in close alliance with the Salvatores and that is how I knew both Stefan and Caroline. I had been to Mystic Falls many times and even then I was always awed by the beauty of their castle. Mystic Falls itself was a beautiful place, surrounded by the woods and numerous lakes and waterfalls. The whole place was surrounded by huge stone walls for fortification.

The noble men and women from the court always wore the most beautiful dresses and as a child, I had always been fascinated by the customs and traditions of Mystic Falls.

My own castle in Fell's Church was about a week's journey from Mystic Falls by the Noble Road created especially for the travel of kings and other noble people.

"We haven't even asked our lord fathers for permission yet." I replied a bit fearfully "They will allow our union, right Stefan?"

"Of course they will." He replied, bending over to kiss my forehead "Father is dying to marry me off as I am way past the age for marriage. He won't mind even if I marry a pig instead of a princess." He said, chuckling. I shook my head and marveled over his laugh which I found particularly fascinating. Everything about him was so unique…..so different. He was one of the most handsome princes I had seen in my life. He was dressed in a very charming manner, his deep blue over coat and black trousers with ankle length boots suiting him quite well.

"So am I and it's getting very difficult to restrain father from marrying me off to some rich and spoilt prince who doesn't even know how to hold a sword." I grumbled, recalling one of my numerous suitors that I had turned down just the previous week. The age of marriage was decided by the church and it was 14 and 12 for boys and girls respectively. Both of us were 17 and our fathers were getting concerned.

"I will talk to father soon, Elena. I promise." He said. I nodded and smiled up at him, not wanting to push him more. I knew that he and his father were going through a tough time at this moment although the details of it were not clear to me. From what Caroline had told me, it concerned their older brother.

He sat down on the soft grass, patting a spot beside him. I sat down beside him, taking extra care not to ruin my dress as it was a gift to me from Stefan. It was a rich forest green colored dress with light green lace trimmings, easily one of the most beautiful dresses in my wardrobe.

Stefan noticed and smiled at me "You're wearing the dress I gave you."

I rolled my eyes, shaking my head at him "Good of you to notice so quickly."

"It's dark. Moreover, everything else seems insignificant compared to your face. You're beautiful, my love." He whispered, taking my hand in his own. My heart skipped a beat at his words and I bent forward to kiss him again…

Suddenly we broke apart as we heard the sound of a bell. It was a signal that our time together was over and that my presence was required at the castle. My handmaid Bonnie was standing just outside the woods, acting as a watch out for me. I had given her a small metal bell and instructed her to ring it in case we were in danger of discovery. I hastily got up along with Stefan, brushing dirt off my dress while he adjusted his coat around him. A look of melancholy seeped into his eyes.

"I don't know when I will be able to see you again." He said, trailing his fingers along my cheek. He was leaving for Mystic Falls tomorrow. He had come to Fell's Church along with his sister and his guard to take part in the jousting tournament. Today had been the last day of his visit and he had managed to unhorse three men, bringing honor to his father's house. One of the men had been from my own father's guard and I had tried not to cheer too loudly for Stefan in case anyone got suspicious.

I leaned my face into his palm, kissing it. "Take me away with you. Let's elope." I joked half heartedly. Stefan's steed, a beautiful white horse named Silver Fire, was at the royal stables just a bit farther away from here.

"I wish we could. I want you _now._" He replied, his beautiful eyes growing dark with desire. I sighed when the bell rang again from a distance. I was running out of time.

"I have to leave, Stefan." I replied, not wanting to leave at all. Suddenly an idea struck me and I quickly unfastened my silver tear drop shaped pendant and handed it to him. He looked at me enquiringly as I explained.

"You keep this with you and just…just look at it and remember me whenever you miss my company." I said, feeling a bit embarrassed by my actions. Surely he would laugh or consider me a fool..

Stefan surprised me by sliding the locket into his coat pocket and sliding off a beautiful sapphire ring off his finger. He took my left hand and slid it onto my third finger. Although it was a bit big for me, it didn't slip off. "And you do the same." He said, kissing my hand.

I kissed him one last time, committing the moment to my memory and then without saying goodbye, I abruptly turned away and started walking towards the castle. I didn't want him to see the tears in my eyes as it would just make it harder for him as well. We will see each other soon, I told myself, determined. After 10 minutes of walking, I came of out the woods. Bonnie gave a sigh of relief when she saw me and rushed over to me, handing me a black cloak.

"Thank god you are here, Elena." She said, referring to me by my name. She had been my handmaiden since childhood and I had forbidden her to call me anything else but my name when we were alone. She was probably one of my closest friends apart from Caroline. She stayed in the castle provided quarters because she was an orphan. The pox had taken her parents when she was a child.

"I am so sorry, Bonnie." I said, quickly pulling the cloak over myself. "Did anyone see you here?"

"No I don't think so. I hid behind a tree when the guards came for a patrol. I swear I will get thrown into a cell if you keep going off for your nightly visits with Prince Stefan." She said, sounding frightened.

"You are my handmaid, Bonnie. No one will dare to harm you." I replied, smiling at her as we both hurried away towards the back door of castle. "And moreover, Stefan is leaving tomorrow." I said, sighing. I wanted to bound back and just hold him tightly in my arms, never to let go.

"What's this on your hand?" Bonnie said, pointing at the ring with a sly look in her eyes.

"Let's get to my chambers first, even the walls have ears." I whispered, looking around for a sign of anyone. The halls were empty apart from a few night guards who patrolled every half an hour or so. Having grown up in the castle, I knew all their schedules so we were able to make it to my chamber safely and without any detection. I shut the big double doors behind me and locked them, heaving a sigh of relief.

"Out meeting my brother, eh?" I jumped and turned around only to find that it was Caroline. She grinned at me as I took a shaky breath to calm my nerves. What was with all these Salvatores surprising me today? I thought to myself.

"Lady Caroline, you startled us." Bonnie said, bowing to her.

"Bonnie, how many times will I have to tell you to just address me as Caroline?" Caroline said, waving a hand in her direction. Like me, Caroline was also friendly with Bonnie.

"Apologies, My…er..Caroline." Bonnie stuttered as we laughed. I told them both to follow me to my bed chambers from the main room. My bedroom was huge with an enormous bed in the middle. It had a carved wooden changing screen to the left side and behind that I had my private bath chambers, complete with a stone tub for bathing. On the right side it had a fireplace and right now, a fire was crackling merrily, chasing away any remnants of the cold.

"Bonnie, prepare some tea for us." I said to her and she nodded as she walked up to the fireplace and filled the pot that was kept on the mantelpiece with water. We talked while we waited for her to prepare the tea.

"So, what did my brother say to you?" Caroline asked me, nudging me with her elbow. I blushed and looked down, swatting her arm away.

"I can't possibly tell you what we conversed about Caroline." I said, feeling a bit shy all of a sudden. She was his sister after all.

"At least tell me if that ass asked you to marry him yet?" She asked me impatiently.

Instead of saying anything, I just held out my hand, showing her the ring he had given me. She started squealing when she saw it

"This means that you are engaged to my brother!" She remarked, looking at the ring in awe. "We are going to be lawful sisters soon I can't wait! The marriage preparations-"

"Caroline Caroline! Calm your horses." I said, shaking my head. Bonnie had joined us by now and no matter how much we insisted, she wouldn't sit with us. She chose a stool beside the bed and sat down there, cradling her tea mug in her hand.

"Bonnie, I don't understand you sometimes." I said, exasperated. "Why can't you sit with us?"

"Because I am not a princess. I am not even a noblewoman. I am just a commoner and this is my place." She replied, refusing to meet our eyes.

"You are our friend. That's all that matters." Caroline said, beaming at Bonnie who beamed back at us but still refused to sit on an equal level with us. We gave up soon and Bonnie effectively changed the topic back to Stefan.

"So, did Lord Stefan say anything while giving you the ring?" Bonnie asked me, intrigued.

"It's not like that, you two." I told them, laughing. "He just gave it to me as a…souvenir. Whenever I will look at it, I'll remember Stefan." I sighed.

"A ring wasn't needed for that." Caroline replied airily and both girls burst out laughing while I blushed. Caroline had the same green-blue eyes like Stefan but her hair color was different. She had fair golden hair that fell to her waist in soft curls. Even in a simple white night gown, she looked stunning.

Suddenly a thought came to my mind and before I could control myself, I blurted it out

"Caroline…You never told me properly.." I began, feeling like I was intruding in her personal life.

"What?" Caroline asked me, blinking her eyes.

"You never told me about the source of your trouble..you just said it had something to do with your older brother." I asked her. Caroline looked down, a frown appearing on her face and I quickly added " I apologize in case my question offended you. You don't have to answer."

"Don't be foolish, Elena." Caroline waved me away. "It's just…we had a dove the other day. With a message…" She trailed off.

"What did it say?" Bonnie egged her on.

"It said that there were rumors that my brother was probably..dead." She choked out, a look of melancholy crossing her face. I let out an involuntary gasp.

"Dead? How?"

"Well you already know how he had left home to fight in his idiotic wars to gain fame and honor and all those stupid things that men care about." Caroline said, still looking down. "He had taken part in a large war and since then, we have received no messages or letters from him. But we got a message from a reliable source telling us that he was dead…I just…I just don't know what to believe, Elena." Caroline said, finishing her sentence with a light sob. I quickly got up and went over to her side, putting my arms around her.

"Shh, I am sure that's not the case. The messenger must have been mistaken." I said, trying to calm her down. Bonnie nodded frantically from her seat, not knowing what to say at this moment.

"I hope I see him again." Caroline replied simply, hiccupping a bit.

"I hope so too. I have never met your oldest brother. What's his name?" I asked her, surprised that I had never actually bothered to ask his name before.

"Damon." She replied, smiling a bit.

"Damon Salvatore.." I replied, tasting the name in my mouth. It sounded very pleasing to the ears. " Well, I hope we see you soon, Damon Salvatore."

**So what do you think? Did you find Prince Stefan charming or just cheesy? Did you like Elena's and Caroline's treatment of Bonnie? Hit review My Lords and My Ladies ;)**


	2. Chapter 2

******Disclaimer : I don't own The Vampire Diaries or any of its characters. (Although I do wish I owned the Salvatore brothers.)**

**Wow guys! You amaze me :D I would like to thank each and every one of you for reading and reviewing my story! 200 plus views on the first day of posting? WOW.**

**I see we have a lot of Damon fans in here ;) High five!**

**Enjoy :)**

**Chapter 2**

Darkness. I was walking in total darkness. At first I thought it was the path that led me deep into the woods to the clearing where I frequently used to meet Stefan so I sped up my pace, determined on seeing him again. Soon I realized my mistake…there were no animals around, no rustle of tree leaves, no snapping of twigs beneath my feet. Silence. I was walking inside a dark, never ending maze and the silence was pressing against me from all sides, crushing me.

I started panicking a bit and tried calling out for Stefan but no sound escaped my mouth. I suddenly realized that I couldn't breathe. I was suffocating.

"_Elena?" _I heard Stefan calling out for me at a distance. _"Elena!"_

I stumbled forward even though I couldn't see anything. My lungs were burning from the lack of air but I still pushed on, listening for Stefan to call me again so that I could follow the direction of his voice.

"_Elena! Come to me!" _I heard him crying out, sounding frantic now. _"Elena, please!"_

Try as I might, I couldn't answer him back. I just kept walking in his direction. After what seemed like an eternity, I came across a patch of light. I gave a sigh of relief when I saw that Stefan was standing beneath the light, his back facing me. I ran up to him and hugged him from behind, burying my face in his muscular back.

"_Elena run! Run!"_ I heard Stefan's voice calling out to me..he suddenly appeared on my right side, his eyes wide with fright "_Run!"_

If Stefan was standing beside me…then the one I was holding was not..

I jumped back in fright just as the figure in front of me, the one I had assumed to be Stefan before, turned around. I couldn't see his face, except for the eyes. Blazing blue eyes. Like blue fire.

"_Elena go! Run! Elena!"_

"Elena? Elena! Wake up!"

I shot up in my bed, breathing heavily. Bonnie was standing beside my bed, looking worried as she touched my forehead. My night gown was totally drenched in perspiration and as I brought up my hand to push back my hair, I saw that it was trembling.

"What is it Elena? I saw you withering and thrashing in your sleep and when I tried to wake you up, you started screaming. Were you having a nightmare?" Bonnie asked me as she bustled around the room, gathering a bowl of water and a wash cloth for me. She dipped the cloth in water and wrung it out so that it won't drip with water and started wiping my face and arms with it.

I took a shaky breath and nodded at her as she cleaned the sweat from my body. After she was done, I told her everything that I had seen. Bonnie looked even more terrified than I had felt during the dream.

"This is not a good sign Elena. Dreams are sent to us by the god. It's his way of warning us against the evil." Bonnie said as she prepared a bath for me.

"Oh Bonnie, I don't believe in such notions. Dreams are just dreams." I told her firmly, even though I was still feeling uneasy about what I had seen. The way Stefan was screaming my name…and who was the mysterious blue eyed person?

"Dreams are prophecies, Elena." Bonnie whispered.

"Bonnie" I said, rounding upon her. "I want you to stay quiet now. If someone heard you repeating these words, you will be burned at a stake!" Bonnie was a believer of witchcraft and was very superstitious. I usually didn't mind her going on and on about witches and magic and what not, but both of us knew what the church thought about such notions.

"I am so sorry, my Lady." Bonnie said instantly, bowing her head.

"It's for your own good." I said to her, shrugging out of my damp night gown. The water in the stone tub was very warm, almost hot, just the way I liked. "And if I hear you addressing me as "My Lady" one more time, I'll have your head on a spike." I said to her, shaking my head.

Bonnie just grinned at me as she added a few drops of lavender essence to my bath. I submerged myself into the warm water, my rigid muscles relaxing instantly. Bonnie sat at the edge of the tub as I talked.

"What hour is it?" I enquired, looking out of the window. According to the position of the sun, it was probably late morning. I had overslept.

"It's almost noon. Lord Stefan and Lady Caroline will leave in an hour." Bonnie said. She knew me so well and had grasped the real meaning behind my question.

I sighed as I ordered her to wash my hair. I had to look decent and presentable since my presence was required in the court today. We all had to be present to see off the Salvatores.

Bonnie filled a bowl with the mixture of mead and lavender essence and started washing my wet hair with the mix. I felt myself relaxing further as her deft fingers massaged my head. When she was done, she rinsed the mead out of my hair with water, leaving my hair soft and free of dirt. After I was done with my bath, Bonnie held out a dry cloth for me so that I could wipe the water away from my skin.

She had already laid out my favorite blue dress for me. It was a light sky blue color with silver trimmings. The material was pure satin and it felt very soft against the skin. She laced it up my back and combed out my hair with my wooden comb, twisting two strands of my hair and pinning them up in the back with a small silver clip. I went to my dresser and pulled on a plain silver necklace and Stefan's sapphire ring. When I was satisfied with my appearance, I ordered Bonnie to get dressed as well so that we could go downstairs.

There was a gentle knock on the door and a female voice called out "Lady Elena? Are you ready yet? Your lord father requires your presence in the court." It was Nun Marianne. She had been appointed by my father for me so that she could teach me how to read and write along with all the proper things that a lady must know. From an early age, she had taught me numerous things like sewing, cooking, table and dress manners, etiquettes, how I should sit, how I should talk, everything. She could be a bit strict at times but usually she was very pleasant to me and loved me dearly.

"Yes Nun Marianne, I am ready." I said, opening the double doors for her. She smiled and adjusted my necklace for me.

"You look like a proper lady." She said, giving me an approving nod. She was wearing a black tunic that covered her from head to toe. She had a white cloth wrapped around her forehead and a simple cross dangled from a chain around her neck. For the fifteen years that I had known her, she had worn the same piece of clothing daily. She usually carried a bible in her hand as she was now.

"You've taught me well, Nun Marianne." I replied, smiling down at her. She smiled and nodded back at me just as Bonnie appeared. All three of us set out for the court, with Bonnie trailing behind us, her eyes on the floor.

As we reached the huge double doors of the royal court where my father sat, the guards bowed to us and opened the doors. I entered first, keeping my head high just like Nun Marianne had taught me. The noble men of the court gave me polite nods while the women curtsied me as I walked past them. Finally, I reached my appointed place, which was near the throne of my Father and Mother.

Father was already seated at his huge golden throne in the middle, his head held high and a pure golden crown on top of his head. Mother's smaller yet equally enchanting silver throne was empty and I wondered where she was. Even my Brother Jeremy's place was empty.

"Father." I said, bowing down lightly. He nodded and smiled at me and motioned at me to take my seat.

I sat down at my appointed place along with Nun Marianne. On my right was a noble woman named Carissa. I deeply loathed her as she was even vainer than the celebrated princess Amara, who was known for her charm and beauty.

"Elena." She acknowledged me, giving me a curt nod. She had a long pointy nose and flowing red hair.

"Carissa." I nodded back, trying to be polite for Nun Marianne's sake who was watching me closely.

"Oh it's so sad Prince Stefan is leaving already." She began, fanning herself dramatically with her hand fan. "He is so charming, so handsome." She continued dreamily.

I narrowed my eyes at her "That he is." I said, choosing not to say anything else.

"I heard he has a taste for red headed women." She said to me, a sly smile coming on her face. I could feel my temper rising as I snapped at her "No he does not."

"Oh? And how do you know?" Carissa said, slightly sneering at me. Before I could manage a reply, the double doors opened again and my mother, Lady Miranda walked in with my brother the heir to the throne of Fell's Church, Jeremy, trailing behind her. He was a lad of fifteen years and had a moody nature.

My mother looked as elegant as ever in her shimmering royal blue full sleeved gown. She looked at me and smiled as she took her place next to the King. Jeremy sat down at a distance opposite me in the aisle that was only reserved for noble men.

The low chatter in the court died down when the heavily armored gate guards announced the presence of the Salvatores. Stefan walked in with Caroline by his side and came to stand in front of my Father. Both of them bowed deeply and stood back up only when my Father asked them to. My heart sped up when I saw Stefan standing just a few yards away from where I was seated. Carissa and many other noble women were giggling and sighing unnecessarily and I tried to tune them out when Stefan started speaking.

"My king, my sister and I would like to thank you for inviting us to take part in the tournament and for your generous hospitality." Stefan began. Caroline nodded along with whatever he said, looking beautiful as ever in her deep red gown.

My Father nodded at Stefan "You have performed extremely well in the tournament, Ser Stefan. For a prince of your age, you have out done yourself. I would like to award such bravery before you leave." My father said. I beamed at no one in particular as I waited for my father to announce the prize.

"You are too kind, my Lord." Stefan said "How can I accept an award from you after receiving all your generous hospitality and care?"

My father waved him away "You are an exceptionally talented knight, Ser Stefan. Choose any reward you want. Anything at all."

My heart sped up slightly as I waited for Stefan to claim his reward. Maybe..just maybe he will ask for my hand.

"My lord…" Stefan looked around the court, searching for me. Finally his eyes met mine and he smiled. My cheeks were burning as I waited with bated breath…

"My lord, I will ask for the reward when the time comes." Stefan finished. My heart skipped a beat at his word and waves of disappointment crashed down at me. Stefan could have asked for my hand right now at this moment and father would not have refused him…

"Very well. It was a pleasure having you and your sister here." My father said, rising up from his throne. "Send my regards to your Father and Mother, Ser Stefan. And to Lady Caroline, I award hundred of the finest silk dresses ever made in Fell's Church." We all rose up with him as Caroline beamed and thanked the king. Knowing her, it was probably the best thing anyone could give her.

We all started walking out of the court with my father and Stefan in the lead, conversing about something. I kept my head down and didn't say anything to anyone as I followed them quietly.

I asked Nun Marianne to dismiss me for the time being and she granted me permission to leave, a confused look on her face. I went left and started climbing up the staircase that led to the great balcony. Bonnie soon joined me there, choosing not to say anything as she quietly stood beside me, overlooking the great procession that consisted of the Salvatore guards. Hundreds of horsemen were readying their horses for the journey back to Mystic Falls. The stable boys brought forth Stefan and Caroline's horses. After a few more words with my father, Stefan bowed to him and got up on his magnificent white horse, his sword dangling from the sheath at his waist. Caroline got up on her dark brown horse and waved to the people of Fell's church who had gathered outside the royal gates to see them off. A loud cheering went up and people chanted their names as Stefan kicked up his horse and led the procession out of the gates with Caroline and the guards following him.

Suddenly Stefan looked back up, exactly at the spot where I was standing and our eyes met. He gave me a slight smile and a nod before turning back away and heading out into the bright day. I could feel my eyes welling up with tears as I saw him and Caroline gliding away. Bonnie took my hand and just squeezed it lightly.

"Oh Bonnie.." I said between my sobs "He could have asked for my hand right now…I feel so disappointed."

"I know Elena…maybe Lord Stefan had his reasons. Maybe he wanted to talk to his father about it first.." she trailed off uncertainly.

"Maybe." I echoed. "Let's go back to my bed chambers, my head is hurting." I said to her, giving the procession one last glance before I turned around and walked away.

**xxxxx**

"My head.." I said, trying to sit up. My limbs felt as heavy as rocks as I lifted one hand to touch the back of my head which felt very tender. "Where am I?"

"You are alive and that's all that matters, lad." I turned towards the voice and through my blurry vision, I saw an old man hovering over me. I looked around and saw that I was lying on a make-shift cot in a small room. The walls were cracked and broken at various places and I could smell smoke. I turned my head and saw a small fire blazing in a broken fireplace.

"I am alive? I thought I had come to hell..." I muttered, appraising the room. "Who the hell are you, old man?"

"You answered your own question. I am just an old man who has a bit of knowledge about herbs and plants." The old man answered, bending over me. I wanted to shove him away.

"What are you doing? How did I end up here?" I asked him rather rudely. I tried getting up from my place but winced as soon as my leg touched the rough mud ground. It was throbbing painfully.

"So many questions." The man said, shaking his head. He bent down, adjusting the blood soaked bandages around my leg which I hadn't noticed before. My memory started coming back to me in bits and pieces….I remembered readying myself for a war…going to the battle ground…cutting men down like they were made of butter…

"The war is over.." I said to myself. "And I am alive. Oh well." I tried ignoring the pain in my leg and head and I looked at the man enquiringly.

"You barely made it, lad." The man said. "For the first three nights, I wasn't sure whether you would ever wake up or not."

"Three nights..? For how long had I been out of my senses?"

"About a week." The man said, shuffling around the room. He opened a small wooden cabinet and took out a flask which was filled with a murky green liquid.

"Drink this up." He said, shoving it beneath my nose. I took one whiff at it and knocked it out of his hand, gagging.

"What the hell is that? Are you trying to kill me?" I said, coughing.

"If I wanted to kill you lad, I wouldn't have bothered with you in the first place." The man said, sighing. He picked up the flask again and put the stopper back on its mouth. Half of the green liquid was spilled onto the floor where I had knocked it down.

"You didn't answer my question." I growled at him.

"It's a mixture of herbs to ease the pain." The man said, putting it back in the cabinet. "Since you don't want it, I won't bother again. Good luck spending the night in pain, let's see how long you last."

"I still haven't understood whether you are my enemy or my friend." I said, snorting.

"I am no one's friend. I am just performing my duty." He said, shuffling over to a small earthen stove in the corner. I frowned at the man. Who the hell was he? Why wasn't he answering my questions? I looked out of the small window above my cot and saw that it was night outside.

"You got a name?" I asked him, trying to re adjust my leg so that I could rest comfortably.

"I have got all sorts of name. They call me the witch doctor, demon worshipper, old bastard. But I prefer being called Ludwin as that's the name my mother gave me." The man replied, starting a fire in the earthen stove.

"Well Ludwin, I am-"

"You are a Salvatore." He said, cutting me off. I looked at him, annoyed,

"How do you know that?"

"I have eyes, lad. The sigil on your armor breastplate is clearly visible." Ludwin said, referring to my family's symbol, a roaring lion.

I grunted, looking around for my armor and sword. They were kept on a rickety table beside the fireplace. I got up on my elbows to see what he was doing and saw that he was cooking some sort of a concoction in a pot over the fire.

"Your servant was here a while ago. He visits you daily." Ludwin said to me in his shaky voice.

"Servant?" I asked, frowning. Then realization suddenly dawned upon me and I gave a sigh of relief. He was talking about my partner, Alaric. He was alive as well.

"When will I be able to walk again?" I asked him. I was already getting annoyed by staying in bed.

"When you start taking the mixtures I prepare for you." Ludwin said, without even sparing me a glance.

"I won't drink that scum." I growled. "Give me food."

"You know lad," Ludwin began, bringing me a platter full of the unknown thing he had cooked. "I liked you a whole lot better when you were unconscious."

**Soooo ;) here is our favorite Salvatore as I promised. Which Salvatore brother is your favorite? Personally, I love both of them so I just can't choose! Leave a response in the reviews section.**

**Just to clarify, yes Damon Salvatore is alive and well. Caroline is a Salvatore in my story and is the sister of Stefan and Damon.**

**Feedback is always appreciated, so what are you waiting for My Lords and My Ladies? :D**


	3. Chapter 3

******Disclaimer : I don't own The Vampire Diaries or any of its characters. (Although I do wish I owned the Salvatore brothers.)**

**Thank you so much for reviewing! I know you all desperately want Elena and Damon to meet but have patience! They will be meeting REALLY soon.**

**I know the story is going a bit slow at the moment but that's how all stories are at the beginning! Have faith in me :) **

**Chapter -3**

**DAMON**

"Ludwin! Oi! Get your old ass in here!" I shouted at him for the third time. I was used to getting what I wanted on a single command throughout my life and old Ludwin was really testing my patience.

Finally after what seemed like an eternity, he shuffled inside, carrying a pile of logs in his hands. He went over to the fireplace and bent down, piling up the smaller logs on the burning embers to start a fire.

"I've been calling out for you since half an hour!" I roared, sneering at him. "Have you gone deaf with age?"

"Why should I respond to your calls, lad?" He began, looking at me over his shoulder "You are not my master."

"You should listen to me because if you fail to do so, I will slice your body into tiny pieces and feed them to the dogs of my kingdom." I threatened.

"You can hardly walk, my boy. I do not feel threatened by your empty threats." He replied calmly. A feeling of intense rage coursed through my body and I reached to the side of my waist impulsively, where I used to hang my sword in a sheath but my hand only groped empty air. Ludwin seemed to sense my intentions and he shook his head, smiling slightly.

"Don't you fear death?" I asked him, my voice cold. This man's behavior was baffling me to no extent. A week had gone by since I had come to my senses. I came to know that Ludwin was a really skilled healer and had a vast amount of knowledge about the healing properties of plants and herbs. He went out daily at the crack of dawn with a basket in his hand and returned by mid morning, his basket full of different plants and flowers.

"What is to fear in death? Death is peaceful and serene. Life is harder." He said, coming over to me to change my bandages. I tried sitting up on my own, intent on showing him that I was not weak and that I could handle myself but I failed miserably. I fell back on my back, groaning in pain. Even after seven days, my body felt sore and stiff.

"The skin on my back itches where you sew it." I told him, trying to reach back with my right hand. He reached over to me and stopped me from scratching the skin.

"This means that you are healing quickly. I think in another three days or so, you will be able to walk properly." He said, examining my leg. An arrow had pierced my calf during the war, leaving a deep gash. Alaric had visited me daily since I woke up. He was staying at an inn in the nearby village and brought me food and other supplies that Ludwin asked him to bring.

"Good." I replied "I want to get out of this rat hole."

I tensed up when I heard footsteps outside but Ludwin shook his head "It's your ally."

As he had rightly guessed, Alaric walked in through the door, carrying a basket full of food and bandages in his hand. I gave a sigh of relief and sat up with his assistance. He pulled up a stool beside my cot and sat down as well, looking weary.

"How much longer?" He asked Ludwin who was squatting down by the fireplace and grinding an assortment of herbs in a stone bowl.

"I think he will be fit to leave in three or four days." He said, coughing.

Alaric sighed and looked at me, frowning "How do you feel now, Damon?"

"What do you think?" I spat "How would you feel, stuck day and night with an old fool who has a tendency to turn deaf just when you require something?"

"Damon." Alaric chastised. "We should be grateful for Ludwin's assistance. If not for him, you would be long dead."

"Yeah, yeah." I muttered. "I want to return to my kingdom once I am able to walk. Is Shadow well fed?"

Shadow was the name of my horse and I had named him so because his coat was the deepest shade of black that I had ever seen. He had been with me since my fifteenth name day, a gift to me by my father.

"Yes, he is well cared for in the village stables, don't worry." Alaric replied, stifling a yawn. Alaric had been travelling with me throughout the country since two years. I had met him in an inn at a foreign land and had offered him my partnership when I came to know that he too was a knight like me and was travelling alone, taking part in royal tournaments and the like. Since then, we had traveled together as a team. I had formed close companionship with him although he was about a decade older than me.

He handed me a flask of wine and I grinned at him, patting his back "You're a true friend." I said, taking a swig of the fine wine. I definitely have had better than this, but any wine was better than no wine." Now if only you were able to provide me with a woman..."

He rolled his eyes and smirked at me, taking a bite of an apple. We were able to afford all these luxuries due to the money we had earned at various tournaments throughout the years. I shifted on my cot, making a disgusted face as Ludwin brought a bowl full of a greenish mixture for me. I took a deep breath to steady myself as I took the bowl of the horrible tasting mixture from him and downed it at one go, coughing and gagging after I was done. After the first few nights, I had realized that in order to heal, I would have to take these odd mixtures he prepared for me. At first I was skeptical of his ability but soon changed my views as I realized that my wounds were healing faster than before.

"Alaric, tell me one thing. Why couldn't I stay at the village inn with you instead?" I grumbled, sipping the wine again to remove the horrid taste of the herbal mixture from my mouth.

He sighed, rubbing his eyes "How many times will I have to tell you? The village is not a safe place for you at the moment. Enemies are lurking everywhere, Damon."

"I can take care of myself." I growled at him. He shook his head exasperatedly

"Oh I can definitely see that." He said, sarcastically. "You are no better than a cripple at the moment. How will you defend yourself? I have taken so many precautions to keep you safe, and it seems like you are hell bent on going against me."

"Stop whining, you sound like a maiden." I said, snickering.

"I am not whining, I am trying to protect you." He replied coldly "Not for you, because I know that you don't value your life. I am protecting you for the sake of your kingdom and your family." He said as he stood up. "I'll get going now."

"Alaric, wait-" but before I could finish my sentence, he was gone. I fell back on my cot, sighing.

I had left my kingdom, Mystic Falls, at the age of seventeen. My father and mother had been in clear disapproval and had tried many times to stop me. My father, Giuseppe Salvatore had been of poor health at that time and feared that the throne would be left without a proper heir if I leave because my brother Stefan had only been twelve when I left.

_Saint Stefan would surely make a good king now_ I thought, snorting. Stefan had always been the ideal brother, the apple of my mother's eye and the pride of my father. Whereas I was the adventurous one and I always did what I thought was the best for me. Father had always disapproved of my ways and even though my mother tried to cope with me, it was clear that they both preferred Stefan over me. This was the reason that I never formed a strong bond with my brother but I was very close to my sister Caroline and I longed to see her.

Over the years, I had traveled to numerous kingdoms and fought in various tournaments, gaining fame. I had become famous as "The Knight of the shadows" because of my black armor. I had always favored the color black for some reason. I also took part in various wars, taking the side of one king or another as it benefited me.

"Oh, Ludwin?" I called out. He turned his head to look at me, his eyes questioning.

"Ser Alaric Saltzman is right, you have saved my life. Ask for any reward you want." I said to him, smirking.

He turned away and shook his head "I didn't do it for reward, lad."

"But there must be something you desire. Gold? A better place to live? Just name it, old man and it is yours."

He slowly turned to look at me and I frowned when I saw a blazing look in his ancient eyes.

"There is only one thing I want." He whispered. I leaned forward so that I could hear him properly "Ha! See? Every man desires something. Name your reward, Ludwin."

"Can you get my family back?" He whispered "Can you make the dead come back to life?"

I recoiled "What do you mean by that?"

He shook his head "There is nothing you can do for me, lad. I saw my family being slaughtered like pigs in front of me. There is nothing you can do…"

"I'll find a way to help you." I replied "because a Salvatore always pays his debts."

**XXXX**

**ELENA**

I lay on my bed as I looked out of the window. Since Stefan had left a week ago, I hadn't gone out much. Bonnie was sitting beside me on a stool, sewing one of my dresses for me. I twirled a lock of my hair around my finger as I anxiously waited for the dove to arrive with Stefan's letter.

"Elena, you have been lying here since morning." Bonnie said to me, keeping her eyes on her needle work. "Sulking around like this won't make Lord Stefan's letter come faster."

"I know, Bonnie." I sighed "I just can't help myself." I closed my eyes and pictured Stefan. He looked as handsome as ever, smiling down at me. I smiled as I remembered the secret kisses we shared in the woods, the way he had held me, staring down at me with his blazing green eyes…The way his soft lips had trailed down my skin…the way his muscles had felt, naked and exposed beneath my finger tips…

I shot out of my reverie as Bonnie cried out "Look, I think it's Lord Stefan's dove!"

I hastily scrambled out of my bed, pushing my long hair out of my face as I ran up to the window ledge. Indeed, a small white bird was coming over this way. My heart pounded with excitement while I impatiently waited for the bird to make it to my room. I got out of the way as the dove flew in and perched itself on the arm of a chair beside the fireplace.

I gave Bonnie a gleeful look as I walked up to the bird and untied the parchment that had been tied to its feet. I offered the bird a nut out of a jar that I specially kept on the mantelpiece so that I could feed the birds that carried messages.

"Open the letter!" Bonnie exclaimed with excitement as she sat down on a stool beside me. I took a deep breath and unrolled the parchment. In his elegant script, Stefan had written:

_**Dear Elena,**_

_**Everyday seems like a year without you by my side. I wear the necklace that you gave me around my neck so that I can keep you close to my heart.**_

My own heart stuttered as I read these words. I read on

_**Do you know what happened? Today I asked my servants to prepare my bath with drops of lavender oil for me so that I could feel closer to you. It's the same lavender essence that you use. They must be laughing behind my back just as I write this letter to you, probably saying that how unman like Ser Stefan is!**_

I giggled lightly as I looked at Bonnie who was trying very hard to stifle her own laughter.

_**I talked to my Father about us, Elena. Father is ready to unite our kingdoms. Do you know what this means? You and I are going to be one. We are going to get married soon, Elena. My father has sent a royal scroll to your father and has invited you all to visit Mystic Falls where they will discuss our marriage. The wait is over, my love. I hope to see you soon.**_

_**Stefan.**_

I inhaled sharply as I finished reading the letter and realized that I had been holding my breath the whole time. Bonnie jumped up from her seat, her eyes bright with joy.

"Elena! You are going to get married to Lord Stefan!" she exclaimed, holding my hands in her own.

"Bonnie-I-I.." I couldn't form a coherent sentence as tears started flowing down my cheeks. I hugged her and she held me tightly, whispering something to me which I didn't quite catch.

I had waited for this moment for so long and now it almost seemed surreal, like I was living in a dream. I had fallen in love with Stefan the first time I had seen him. He had been my knight in the shining armor and I had always fantasized about being his queen one day. I quickly pulled away from Bonnie and hid the letter beneath my mattress as I heard someone knocking on the double doors of my room.

"Who is it?" I called out, wiping away my tears so that I could look presentable.

"It's Gerald, My lady. Your father had requested your presence in his quarters immediately." The soldier called out. Ser Gerald was the leader of my father's personal guard and the member of his adviser council.

"I'll be there at once, Ser." I called back and heard the sounds of his footsteps fading away. I took a deep breath to calm myself down as Bonnie straightened my dress.

"Don't be nervous Elena, all will be well." Bonnie said, smiling at me. I nodded and hurried out of my quarters, my heart thudding loudly in my chest. What if my father is not agreeable of this union? What if he is angry? An assortment of negative thoughts attacked my mind the whole way to my father's chambers and by the time I reached there, I was almost ready to faint.

Two guards were stationed at either side of the huge doors that led to my father's quarters. They bowed to me as I knocked on his door softly, my hands shaking a bit.

"Enter." He called out. I opened the doors and entered inside, keeping my head down. My father, King Grayson Gilbert was sitting on an armchair beside the roaring fireplace and my mother sat opposite him. A letter with the royal seal was placed on the mahogany table in front of them.

"Father, Mother." I said, nodding to them both. My hands were fidgeting on their own and I tried to calm myself down so that I wouldn't not appear nervous.

"Take a seat, dear." My mother said to me, smiling at me sweetly. I sat down beside my father and waited for him to say something.

"Elena, as you know very well that you are of marriageable age and have been since a long time." My father began. "I think it's time that we start looking for princes for you to marry. One day, you are going to bear the children of a king. You will be queen, my daughter."

"Yes father." I replied, keeping my eyes down. "Do you have anyone in mind?"

My mother took my hand in her own, smiling at me "I think we do. We just received a message from King Giuseppe Salvatore of Mystic Falls and he is showing interest in the union of our kingdoms. Are you agreeable, Elena?"

I stopped myself from answering immediately as that would come across as suspicious. I made myself frown as I said "Prince Stefan Salvatore is interested in me?"

"Of course he is. Who wouldn't be interested in the "Raven" ?" My mother said, teasing me. I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "Don't call me that stupid name, mother."

My father smiled, waiting for my response as I pretended to contemplate. Finally I took a deep breath and answered "Yes Father, Mother. I am ready to marry Prince Stefan."

They looked at each other and beamed. My father leaned down to kiss my forehead while my mother got up and hugged me. My father got up as well as he said

"I will marry my daughter off magnificently! It will be a wedding that will be remembered for years!" He exclaimed. I giggled at my father's exclamations while my mother shook her head, looking exasperated.

"Grayson, you and your extravagant ways will lead to the demise of this kingdom one day." She said, shaking her head.

"My dear Miranda, you cannot define a king without using the word "extravagant"." My father replied cleverly. He clapped his hands twice "Now, excuse me my ladies. I have to prepare for the travel to Mystic Falls. We all will leave tomorrow." And with that, he walked out of the room, his robes swishing around his ankles.

"Since how long have you been ready to marry Prince Stefan, Elena?" My mother asked me as soon as my father was out of hearing range, her eyes twinkling. I took a step back, shocked.

"Wh-what do you mean mother?" I asked her in a small voice. She laughed when she saw my scared expression.

"I know about you and Stefan, Elena." My mother replied simply. I studied her face closely for any signs of anger but found none.

"How do you know?" I finally asked her as a frown crossed my face. I hadn't told anyone except for Bonnie and Caroline..

"I know because I am your mother." She replied as she smiled down at me while gently stroking my hair. I bit my lower lip as I thought _Here I come, Stefan. Here I come._

**I think I will divide this story in 3 point of views –Elena, Damon and Stefan. It will be easier this way and I will be able to cover the plot from each perspective. What do you think guys?**

**Can someone guess the reference I make where Damon tells Ludwin that he will he will help him?:"A Salvatore always pays his debts." ?**

**I will be updating really soon! Feedback will be appreciated :) I'll be able to update faster if you review guys, because that way i'll know that someone is reading my story!**


	4. Chapter 4

******Disclaimer : I don't own The Vampire Diaries or any of its characters. (Although I do wish I owned the Salvatore brothers.)**

**1000 plus hits for the first 3 chapters? O-M-G. You guys rock!**

**I can't thank you guys enough. Your reviews made my day like seriously! **

**Anonymous reviewer "Delena Fan" guessed the reference from the last chapter correctly. It was a Game of Thrones reference "A Lannister always pays his debts." Any GOT fans in here?**

**I know you all are impatiently waiting for Elena and Damon to meet….the wait is over! :D READ ON!**

**Chapter 4 **

**Elena**

"How much farther?" I asked my mother as I pulled the carriage's curtain aside to take a look outside. It was so dark that I could hardly see anything. The to and fro motion of the carriage was making me feel sick all of a sudden.

"Just a couple of hours more, I think." she replied, a hint of smile playing at her lips.

I sighed and let the curtain fall back as I rested my head back against the wooden wall of the horse drawn royal carriage. We had been travelling since a week to reach Mystic Falls by the Noble Road. The kingdom of Mystic Falls lay up north so it grew colder and colder as each day passed by. We put up tents wherever we stopped to rest and my father's personal guard watched over us day and night to protect us from any sort of dangers.

"I can't wait." I mumbled as I twisted a piece of my dress between my fingers. I was wearing one of the heavier woolen dresses that I owned and my breath turned into fog as I exhaled due to the cold temperature.

"I remember how I was at your age." My mother began "Impatient and brimming with never ending energy. Do you know how I got married to your father?"

I shook my head as I replied "No…you never told me."

"I wasn't meant to marry him in the first place." She said as she stared out of the space between the flapping curtains.

"What?" I asked as I sat up straighter. "Who were you supposed to marry then?"

"I was betrothed to your father's older brother Jonathan. I fell in love with him at the first glance, you know." She said, smiling at some old memory.

I sat in silence as I let the new information sink in. My mother continued

"You already know what happened to your uncle John. He was killed by his enemies just a fortnight before our wedding took place but since my father had already promised that he will join his kingdom with the Gilberts; your father married me instead."

"But...but you didn't love father back then, did you?" I asked her quietly.

"No, I didn't." She confirmed "It felt unreal. One moment, you are dreaming about your future with the one you love and the next moment it all comes crashing down. I began loathing my life, Elena."

"Then how did you…I mean you do love father now don't you?" These new revelations had me shaken up. It was hard to imagine my mother being in love with someone other than my father.

"Of course I love Grayson now. It was not love at first glance nor was it as compassionate a thing as I had with John but…I do love him and for me, that's enough." She finished.

"How did you start loving father then?" I asked her, intrigued. Her story seemed very fascinating to me for some reason.

"It didn't happen overnight, Elena. You father was very kind to me. He respected me in every aspect and he knew that I was still in love with his brother and that I was still mourning for him." She answered "Our love is built on a foundation which took many years to form. We took it step by step and soon I came to care for him just as he did for me."

I pondered over her words for a moment as the carriage continued to roll over the bumpy road. I was convinced of my mother's love for my father but I couldn't imagine being in the same situation as her. Would I ever be able to love someone other than Stefan?

_No._ A small voice echoed inside my head. _Never._

"So now that you know how I married your father, there is something else that I would like to discuss with you." My mother said, breaking me out of my thoughts.

"Yes mother?" I said, shifting forward in my seat so that I would be able to hear her properly.

"Both your father and King Giuseppe Salvatore are in agreement of this union, so there is no doubt that you will be marrying Stefan." She said as she beamed at me.

I nodded my head once as I waited for her to say more.

"There are a few things that will be expected from you, Elena. One day you will become the queen of Mystic Falls and rule beside Stefan. What do you think makes a good queen?"

"Being just and fair?" I said after thinking for a while. My mother smiled as she nodded at me.

"Yes, those are the main ingredients. Apart from that, you have to be compassionate towards your people, your family and most of all, your husband." My mother said as she gave me a meaningful look.

"I know you and Stefan love each other very much and your marriage won't be an arranged one as far as we know." She paused and smiled at me before she continued "But your kingdom and your husband will expect some duties from you that you will have to fulfill. You will have to provide an heir for their kingdom."

I blushed as I realized what my mother was talking about. "Yes mother, I understand…but what others duties will be required of me?" I asked her hesitantly. All of a sudden I started feeling nervous about the whole prospect of marriage.

"That you will come to know on your own, Elena." She said as she tucked a stray hair behind her ear. Suddenly the carriage came to a stop and voices of men floated inside. My mother frowned as she peeked outside.

"What is it, Ser Robert? Why have we stopped?" My mother called out to a nearby knight.

"King Giuseppe has sent an escort for us my lady; the castle is just a few leagues away. We will reach there in an hour." Ser Robert called back. My mother nodded and let the curtain fall back.

Soon after that, we reached the castle doors. They were huge and made from some kind of hard metal. King Giuseppe's guards and my father's guards had erected their banners so that the guards on the gates would know who was coming. I glanced outside eagerly and saw that the beautiful Mystic Falls was bathed in moonlight. Even at this hour of the night, people had come out of their homes to take a look at the procession. My father's banner men rode their horses in the front as they cleared the way for out carriages to pass.

The carriage came to a halt and Bonnie rushed out of her servant carriage to help me and my mother get down. My father and Jeremy got down from the royal carriage in front of us and he went forward to greet the king who was standing in the castle courtyard along with his family to greet us.

"Grayson! Welcome, welcome to Mystic Falls!" King Giuseppe roared as he came forward to hug my father. I frantically scanned the courtyard that was full of men in search of Stefan and I finally found him standing beside his mother in the back. Even in the darkness, I knew it was him. I forgot to breathe for a moment as I stared at his silhouette. _It is happening._ I thought_. I am finally marrying him_.

I stepped forward and curtseyed to the king and queen. "My king, my queen."

"You have grown up!" King Giuseppe nodded at me. The queen, Elizabeth Salvatore smiled as she kissed my forehead "Welcome again to Mystic Falls, Elena."

"Elena!" Suddenly I was enveloped in a bone crushing embrace as Caroline stepped forward to greet me. Everyone laughed as I spluttered "Caroline-can't breathe-"

She let me go and beamed down at me as she whispered in my ear "I am so glad that you'll be my sister in law."

"I am glad too." I whispered back as I squeezed her hand.

"Now Caroline, can I greet my fiancé?" Stefan said as he stepped up in the front. He looked handsomer than ever in a dark green velvet coat and black trousers.

"Stefan." I whispered. I could feel everyone's gaze on me but at that moment, I couldn't care less.

Stefan took my hand in his and kissed it softly. "Elena, I am glad you are here."

I started into his brilliant green eyes and inside me, I felt complete at this moment. Without Stefan, I was hollow. I wasn't whole.

Caroline cleared her throat lightly "I am sure Elena must be tired from the long journey."

"No…I-"

"Yes of course, I'll escort my fiancé inside. I am as aware of the arrangements as you are, Caroline. Now if you will excuse us." Stefan said as he smirked at Caroline and held out his arm for me "Shall we?"

I glanced back at my mother and I was delighted when she nodded. I took Stefan's arm and walked inside the Castle with him. I shot an apologizing glance at Caroline, who just shook her head and smiled at me encouragingly.

Stefan led me inside through another pair of large double doors. They shut behind us with a thud and all of a sudden, we were engulfed by deafening silence. I didn't utter a word as my stomach flipped with excitement.

"Elena? What is it?" Stefan asked me all of a sudden.

"I am just nervous, that's all." I confessed as we continued to walk. Stefan took my hand in his own and pulled me closer "Don't be." He murmured in my ear "You are going to be my wife soon."

"That's what I am nervous about…" I trailed off uncertainly as we stepped inside a guest chamber that had been prepared for me. The room was decorated impressively and a fire was already blazing inside the fireplace.

"What? Are you having second thoughts about the marriage?" Stefan asked me and I saw the glimpse of fear and apprehension in his eyes. My heart went out to him and I instantly wanted to chase away that look from his eyes.

"Stefan, No! Of course not! I am just nervous about…I mean as your wife I will have some duties and one day I will have a kingdom under me-"

I was cut off mid sentence as Stefan surprised me by placing a quick, chaste kiss on my lips. He pulled away, grinning from ear to ear as I blushed.

"What was that for?" I asked him.

"That was for you looking so heartbreakingly beautiful." He replied while pulling me closer to him by the waist.

"Stefan, be serious. Have you even been listening to what I just said?" I asked him as I shook my head.

"I am serious. And I have been listening to every word you said. Elena, I promise you one thing. Whatever the future holds for us, you won't ever deal with it alone. I will always be with you by your side and I will always protect you."

My stomach flipped again at his words and before I could stop myself, I stepped up on my toes and kissed him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he responded immediately by pulling me closer to him by my waist. Our chaste little kiss started to become more intense as we both became lost in the moment. I wouldn't have cared even if someone had barged in through the double doors at this moment because right now, it was just Stefan and me.

I pushed Stefan back so that he fell back on the arm chair beside the fireplace. With boldness that I didn't know existed in me, I climbed on top of him while my fingers fumbled with the laces in front of my dress. I managed to open the top of my dress halfway before Stefan's hand caught mine.

"Elena...we can't." He whispered "Not today."

"I-I'm so sorry..." I said as I stuttered. I looked away as he took my chin in his hand.

"Elena, look at me." He said. "Please."

I complied as I forced myself to look into his sparkling eyes.

"I want you too, Elena. God knows I do…but this is not the right time. I want to do it the right way, the proper way." He said as he wiped a stray tear that had fallen down from my eye.

"I understand-" I began but suddenly I was cut off by a third voice.

"Oh, do go on please. Don't stop now, Saint Stefan. You were putting quite a show for me."

I gasped audibly as I hastily scrambled off Stefan's lap. He got up along with me and pulled me partially behind him. My heart was hammering in my chest as I chanced a glance from behind Stefan's back and I was left breathless by what I saw. Blazing blue eyes that burned like blue fire. That's what registered in my mind at first glance.

_I have seen those eyes somewhere._ I thought. I have had many suitors over the years and Stefan was the most handsome man that I knew and I couldn't have imagined someone who looked better than him. Until now. He had midnight black hair that cascaded down to the back of his neck in soft waves and his face was perfectly chiseled as if a sculptor had carved it out to utter perfection. A light stubble covered the lower half of his face and it gave him a rugged look. His eyes were the richest and most beautiful shade of blue that I had ever seen. The person standing in front of me looked almost too perfect to be real.

"Damon. You are alive." Stefan said. Shocked reeled in my mind as I registered his words. Damon? The person standing in front of me was Stefan's brother Damon Salvatore?

"Hello brother." He said as he sat down on an arm chair opposite us "I was expecting a better greeting than "Damon, you are alive."" He replied . Every move, every action of his screamed arrogance.

"Of course, I'll just-" Stefan began but Damon cut him off.

"Oh, won't you introduce me to the lady behind you? Don't hide, my lady. I don't bite….usually." He said as he grinned and waited for me to step forward. I felt Stefan stiffen before me as I stepped up from behind him and came face to face with Damon.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ser Damon." I greeted him automatically as I had been taught since childhood. Damon's grin vanished and he looked at me blankly for a moment as he whispered something which sounded like "Impossible."

"Pardon, Ser?" I said. Maybe I hadn't heard him correctly.

Damon got up from his place and took a step towards me. He still looked very surprised upon seeing me and his intense gaze was making me uncomfortable.

"The pleasure is mine, my lady." He said as he took my hand and kissed it gently. The place where his lips came in contact with my skin seemed to burn and an odd feeling coursed through my veins as I barely managed to nod at him.

"This is my fiancée, Elena Gilbert." Stefan said a bit stiffly as he wrapped his hand around my waist and pulled me closer to him.

"Elena…a beautiful name for a beautiful lady." Damon said. I looked away from his intense gaze as I thanked him politely. His scrutiny was really making me fidget. My cheeks flamed as I realized that Damon had been there the whole time and had witnessed everything that happened between me and Stefan.

"Does father know you are here?" Stefan asked him a bit curtly.

"No." Damon replied. His eyes never left mine the entire time.

"How did you get into the castle without father's knowledge?" Stefan persisted.

"I have my ways, little brother. And what is this that I hear in your tone? Am I intruding on something…private?" He said with a barely controlled smirk on his face. By now, my face was fully tinged with red and I just wanted to hide somewhere, never to be seen again.

"Damon, we have been worried sick these past few days. We thought you were-"

"Dead?" he interrupted "Dead and Damon just don't go together."

"I won't be so sure if I were in your place. No one is invincible." Stefan replied a bit coldly.

"Invincible? That's a big word. You have really grown up haven't you, Saint Stefan?"

"Stop calling me that-"

"Damon?"

I turned around and saw Caroline standing at the entrance of the double doors. After a moment's silence, she ran up to Damon and buried her face in his chest and started sobbing. Damon's eyes softened a bit as he returned her embrace. "I come home after five years and I am greeted by tears? You and Stefan really need to learn how to greet someone."

"Shut up." She said between her sobs as she tightened her hold around Damon. "Y-you never contacted us and t-then we receive the news th-that you are dead-"

"Shh, it's alright. I am here now; it's going to be alright Caroline." He whispered to her as he wiped away her tears with his thumb. "Now, will you give me and Stefan a moment to talk? I promise I will stay with you all night long and tell you about all my adventures after that."

"I am not a child anymore, Damon." Caroline said as she hiccuped. "I don't need stories about your adventures. I just want my brother to be safe."

Damon patted her once on the head and motioned to Stefan. Stefan nodded at Damon and turned around to face me.

"Damon wants to talk to me about something, Elena. I will be back really soon. Caroline, please stay with Elena." And with that, he whirled around and walked out of the room with Damon in the lead.

**Damon**

Impossible. It was impossible. This has to be some cruel joke, I thought. There she stood in front of me with a hint of fear in her eyes. The same dark eyes. The same raven hair. The same golden skin.

I forced myself to turn around and walk out of the room. It felt like if I lost sight of her, she will disappear like a mirage. I wanted to hold her gaze in mine for the rest of my life.

Stefan followed me to the adjoining room. It was only illuminated by the lights that came from a few candles that were placed on the intricately carved table.

"What did you want to talk about?" Stefan asked me as he leaned against the door frame, his arms crossed around his chest. He had a wary expression on a face and I almost smirked. _Good, be wary. You will not like what you hear, Saint Stefan._

"You young lads. Always so impatient." I said as I poured wine from a jug into a glass that was kept on the table beside the candles.

"Of course I am! You come barging into my room after five years without any prior notice. I have been so worried-"

"Spare me. I am not in mood for drama tonight." I said as I cut him off. I raised my wine glass to my lips and took a sip. The aroma of the excellent wine went straight to my head and I enjoyed it thoroughly, having drunk only inferior quality wine for so many years.

"Damon, I don't understand what you have against me but let me clarify this to you; you are my brother and nothing will change that."

"Unfortunately." I shot back. "Let me make a toast." I said suddenly as I got an idea. I picked up the wine jug and poured some wine into the extra glass for Stefan. "Come, drink."

"I don't-"

"I said, drink." I emphasized as I held out the glass for him. He sighed as he walked up to me and took the glass from my hand.

"To my wedding." I said as I clicked my glass with his and emptied it in one gulp.

"Your wedding?" Stefan asked, an expression of genuine surprise crossing his face "What do you mean?"

"Uh a wedding is when a man and a woman take their vows in front of a priest-" I said as I grinned at Stefan.

"I know what a wedding is, Damon!" Stefan said loudly "Stop playing games with me."

I laughed "You have really grown up. When you were a child, I used to push you around and you never uttered a word. Where was this manly voice of yours then, eh?" I taunted him.

"I still haven't understood the cause of your behavior towards me, Damon. Maybe our views don't match and we are very different from each other but that does not mean that you will act like I am your enemy rather than your brother." Stefan said stiffly.

"Oh, but you are my enemy. A saint, that's what you are. And what am I? The troublesome older brother who no one cares about!"

"Damon, it's not like that. It's not too late, let's forget it all, brother." He said as he held up a hand for me to shake.

"Just one thing." I said as I ignored his plea for peace. "Don't call me your brother in front of anyone. You will only end up embarrassing me."

"Damon…"

"Let me complete my toast now. To my wedding….. with Elena Gilbert." I held up my glass and nothing in my entire life had been more satisfying than seeing Stefan's expression at that moment.

**Damon Salvatore and Elena Gilbert finally met! I really felt bad for Stefan while writing this but oh well, this had to be done!**

**What do you think guys? Feedback is always appreciated. PLEASE REVIEW!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer : I do not own The Vampire Diaries (Although I do wish I owned the Salvatore brothers).**

**Wow, you guys really liked the last chapter didn't you? I received so many reviews from you all and seriously, they made my day! THANK YOU.**

**Just one more thing, I refer to the knights in this story as "Ser" instead of "Sir". I am a huge Game of Thrones fan and knights in that series are referred to as "Ser". It's not a real word but it sounded cooler than "Sir" lol. Just thought I'd let you all know! Enjoy :)**

**Chapter 5**

**Damon**

"What….?"

"Are you as dumb as you look? Don't make me repeat myself, Stefan." I swirled the fine wine in my glass and I leaned against the table as I waited for him to react. I just needed one little reaction from him…just one excuse so that I would be able to justify my actions against him.

"Is this a jest, Damon? Because if it is, then I didn't find it pleasing at all." Stefan said, sounding extremely cross.

"Sit. I don't want you fainting like a maiden when you hear what I am about to say." He looked very uneasy as I said that and I openly smirked at him over my shoulder as I walked over to the fireplace and added another log to the glowing embers fire. This room used to be mine before I had left and when I had returned this morning, I found all my things in the same place where I had left them.

"There's a good lad." I said as Stefan sat down.I walked back to the table and took a seat opposite him. I rested my elbows on the tabletop and made a steeple out of my fingers as I observed Stefan over them "Now, how old are you?" I asked him with mock seriousness. I was really enjoying this little game.

"Damon, I am not in a mood for your games-"

"Answer me!"

"Seventeen." He replied after a pause. He wiped his brow with the sleeve of his expensive silk coat and I almost laughed at his nervousness.

"Almost a man. And how old am I? Twenty two. So if you had paid any attention to your lessons in childhood, you will be able to tell me which one of us is older, hmm?" I asked him as I leaned forward on the table and rested my face in my cupped palm. The wine had gone straight to my brain and was making things seem more interesting to me.

"Look, where are you heading with all this?" He abruptly stood up and his chair fell back with the force.

"I'll answer my own question since you are making so many excuses to hide your inability to perform simple mental calculations. I am older, agreed? And what does the church say about marriages, Stefan?"

Understanding colored Stefan's expression as he finally got the drift of what I was saying.

"That the older sibling has to get married first in order for the other younger siblings to get married..." He trailed off.

"Bravo! See? You are not as stupid as I thought you were." I finished the remaining wine in my glass and set it down on the table.

"Damon, Elena and I will wait as long as you want. Father and mother will have no problem with you marrying the bride of your choice…just…" He began, his tone almost pleading. I was enjoying this thoroughly.

I shook my head, a grin taking permanent residence on my face "Ah ah ah. I have already chosen the bride of my choice, little brother. Elena Gilbert."

"Why are you doing this to me?" Stefan questioned me in raised tones. "Why her?"

"Because a beautiful girl like her deserves so much more than a dimwit like you. Oh, what all I have planned to do to that exotic body of hers…"

As soon the words were out of my mouth, Stefan lunged at me, a wild look on his face. I grinned and readied myself as this was the moment I had been waiting for all along. An excuse. I ducked at Stefan's blow and before he could turn around, I grabbed him by his collar and pushed him against the stone wall of my room. I was highly satisfied to hear his body slam against the wall with a loud thud.

"You are pathetic. You can't even protect yourself, how will you protect Elena from me, eh?" I growled in his ear. His face was slowly turning purple due to the lack of air.

"Father…won't let this happen." He barely choked out.

"Yes, that's the one thing you excel in. Go, hide behind father's skirts." I tightened my hold around his neck once before I let him go. He slumped down onto the ground and gasped for air as he rubbed his neck.

"Damon, you have tormented me enough during our childhood….I always endured it quietly but not this time. I won't let you take Elena from me!"

"What will you exactly do to stop me, Saint Stefan? Cry for your mother?" I bent down and took his face harshly between my fingers as I forced him to look at me. "I remember it as clearly as if it was yesterday. Rose's face still haunts my dreams, Stefan." I said through clenched teeth.

"She was just a peasant girl! You were mad with love, Damon. You didn't see anything except for your own selfish desires!" He said as he wrenched himself away from my grasp and stood up.

"Yes, she was just a peasant girl. And Elena is just a princess." I walked up to him till we were practically nose to nose. He didn't flinch away but maintained eye contact with me.

"I will make sure you suffer more than I did. I will take Elena away from you just like you took Rose away from me. I promised you when I left Mystic Falls that I will return on the day when your happiness is at its peak…. and just when you think everything is fine and that you are happy, I will snatch it away from your hand before you could even blink."

Stefan was left speechless when I finished speaking. I took a deep breath and I tried to compose myself.

"Damon…I was just a child back then. I didn't know what I was doing." He said as he tentatively touched my shoulder. I shrugged him off.

"But I know what I am doing." I replied just as I heard footsteps in the corridor. A handmaiden appeared at the entrance of the room.

"M-my lords, the king requires your presence in his chambers." She said to both of us without making eye contact. I immediately knew she wasn't our handmaiden from her dressing style.

"So father finally found out about my presence. Come here." I said to her. She looked at me, fear shooting up in her eyes.

"My lord?"

"I said, come here. Don't be afraid." I smiled at her invitingly. A bait for the victim.

"Damon, what are you doing?" Stefan intervened, his eyes darting between me and the handmaiden.

I didn't reply as I beckoned the handmaiden to come forward. She slowly crept forward towards me, fear evident on her face. When she reached me I grinned at her and I was pleased when I saw her literally shake with fear.

"What's your name?" I asked her slowly.

"B-bonnie, my lord." I could see her petite little frame shaking as I took out a dagger that was strapped around my waist and trailed the blade up the length of her arm.

"So Bonnie, I take it you work for Lady Elena Gilbert…hmm?" I poked her slightly with the sharp edge of the danger and she squeaked in pain.

"Damon, I don't think this is necessary-"

"Quiet! So…Bonnie?"

"Ye-yes my l-lord." She replied, tears welling up in her dark eyes.

"How would you like it if I send you to off to work in a whore house? Or sell you off to a passing knight?"

"M-my lord?"

"Would you like it? To be sent off somewhere without your permission?" I pressed on.

"N-no my lord…"

"See Stefan? See how she is trembling? That's how my Rose trembled in front of father the night he sent her away just because you told him about us!" I pushed Bonnie away from me and she landed on the stone floor with a thud.

"You have proven your point, please end this madness right now." Stefan said as he made his way over to the handmaid. I reached her before he did and I yanked her up by her hair and pressed the knife to her throat.

"So brother, let me have my way otherwise the next girl beneath this dagger will be your beloved Elena. And you, handmaid-" I looked down at her as I let her go. Tears were streaming down her face as she trembled beneath me. "If this conversation between the three of us leaves this room, I'll make sure you don't live to see tomorrow's sunrise. Now leave."

She bowed and hastily scrambled off, almost falling twice before she even reached the door entrance. I smirked and turned around to face Stefan who looked grave. I slid the dagger back into its sheath.

"Time to visit our dear father. Shall we?"

**Elena**

I sighed as I unpacked few of my dresses and hanged them in the intricately carved mahogany cupboard. Stefan had been gone for more than two hours now. Caroline left a while ago as her father, King Giuseppe had sent for her. It was quiet late into the night and way past the time when I usually slept but sleep evaded me. For some unknown reason, I was worried. It felt as if something was wrong…

I shook my head once as I thought to myself_ I am turning into Bonnie. I need to divert my mind…_

Suddenly I had an idea. I went over to the box which contained my other dresses and jewelry and I shifted away items of clothing to reach at the bottom. After some groping, I finally found what I was looking for. Wrapped in a blue silk cloth was a white satin dress. I carefully took it out along with my needle box and sat down on a small stool near the fireplace with the dress spread on my lap. I threaded a needle carefully in the light cast by the fire and started embroidering the dress. I sew carefully just like Nun Marianne had taught me since childhood. Another half hour passed by and I was startled when I heard an unfamiliar female voice call out.

"My lady?"

Due to my surprise, I pricked my finger with the needle.

"Ow!"

The figure rushed towards me and started apologizing furiously.

"Oh My lady, I am so sorry…I shouldn't have-"

I looked up and saw that it was a handmaid. She had pale blonde hair that was tied up in a bun around her head and even though he was dressed in simple clothes that handmaids usually wore, she looked more beautiful than any handmaid I had ever seen.

"It's all right! Calm down." I said in a high voice to drown out her endless apologies. I sucked my finger where I had pricked it and soon the bleeding stopped.

"My lady I am-"

"If you apologize once more, I will have you thrown into the dungeons." I threatened her mockingly. She didn't seem the catch my playful tone and looked horrified.

"I am just jesting; I will do no such thing." I sighed. "What's your name?"

"Rebekah, my lady. I am new here." She replied in a low voice, her eyes downcast.

"Look, don't be afraid. What did you want with me?" I asked her gently to ease her fear.

"Lady Elizabeth sent me to you in case you needed some help, my lady." She replied. I glanced around the room and indeed, I needed help in arranging all my dresses and jewelry.

"The queen thought well." I nodded "Help me in arranging these dresses in the cupboard."

"Yes, my lady!" She replied, a small smile creeping up on her face.

After a while, all my dresses were properly arranged. I went back to the stool near the fireplace and sat down again, taking the white dress in my lap. Rebekah wiped her brow with the sleeve of her dress as she finished arranging my last dress and came over to me.

"That's a beautiful dress, my lady! She exclaimed with surprise. "Did you make it?"

"Yes I did." I smiled proudly as I stood up and held up the dress for her to see. "Beautiful isn't it? It's my wedding gown."

In my kingdom, it was mandatory for all the noblewomen to sew their own wedding gowns. I had been working on this gown with a little help from Nun Marianne and my mother for over a year. It was almost ready and required just a few finishing touches.

Rebekah's expression turned into that of awe as she ran a hand along the embroidery. "Yes my lady. It's one of the most beautiful gowns I have ever seen."

"You will look beautiful in it." I turned around and saw Damon standing at the entrance of the door, a smirk adorning his strikingly beautiful features.

"Ser Damon." I whispered. Damon motioned to Rebekah once with his hand and she bowed and quietly slipped out of the room. Suddenly I forgot how to breathe as I stared up at his perfect face.

"My lady, I am sorry for visiting you at such an absurd hour but I wanted to apologize for my rude behavior previously this evening." He said, his voice sounding smoother than velvet.

"T-there is nothing to apologize for, my lord." I somehow managed to speak. The dressed slipped between my fingers and landed on to the ground. I blushed and bent down to pick it back up but somehow Damon reached to it before me and picked it up.

"Damon. Call me Damon." He whispered. His face was barely a few inches away from mine and in the light cast by the fire roaring in the fireplace, his blue eyes flickered like waves in the ocean. I could smell his distinct scent and it almost made my head swim.

"My lady?" Damon whispered,his voice concerned. "Are you all right?"

"I'll call you Damon when you call me Elena." I heard myself reply. I suddenly wanted to smack myself. Why did I speak before thinking? And what was I doing alone in this room with a stranger at this hour of the night?

All my thoughts vanished when I heard Damon chuckle. Even his laugh was incredible. It sounded like the summer breeze, soft and warm.

"As you say, _Elena_." He stressed on my name and smirked down at me,his lips curving perfectly into a crooked smile. My heart skipped a beat as he said it. Who knew my name could have sounded so good through a stranger's mouth?

I suddenly realized that we were standing too close with a distance of barely a foot between us. Each of us was holding onto my wedding gown and I had totally forgotten myself.

"So…um…" I fidgeted as I tried to step back.

"I would consider myself totally forgiven if you will honor me with your companionship for a little while." He said, his beautiful eyes glowing sincerely.

I bit my lower lip as I looked away from his face, my heart thudding loudly in my chest. My reactions were totally baffling me. How could a complete stranger have this effect on me in such a short while?

"I don't know, my lord…I-I mean Damon..The hour is late.." I stammered, making a complete fool out of myself.

"For some unknown reason, sleep evades me tonight ….and I see it's the same for you. Am I right, Elena?" He said, taking my name again. My stomach flipped as I dared to look up at him again. He was wearing a figure hugging black coat made of some fine material and a long sword was strapped at his waist in a sheath. His midnight hair fell over his forehead and nearly reached his eyes. His eyes…

"Elena?" He snapped me out of my thoughts as he looked down at me questioningly. His lips curved into a small knowing smile as if he knew exactly what was going on in my mind.

"You are right, My…er..Damon." I blushed as I realized I had mixed up the two words. He chuckled again and he offered me his arm. I gingerly brought up my hand and curled it around his upper arm. I felt his muscles flex beneath my fingers. He was so strong….so handsome…

He lead me outside into the castle corridors which were mostly deserted except for a few guards that were patrolling them as a part of their night duty. They were lit with torches and lanterns in various places so our path was well illuminated.

"Since you are going to be my…er...sister in law, I thought I should acquaint myself to you in a proper manner." He began. "I should not have barged into that room earlier when you and Stefan were….engaged in your private matters."

I looked down, this time the blush coloring my entire face. "It's quite alright, really."

"I am sure it is, since you are kind enough to honor me with your company." He smiled. "I want to know more about you, Elena."He said suddenly. We were heading towards the back of the castle which lead outside towards the royal gardens.

"What do you want to know?" I asked him, surprised at his eagerness.

"Everything." He replied simply as he looked down at me.

"I..er..I don't know where to begin." I answered meekly. His arm was warm beneath my cold fingers and an involuntary shiver ran down my spine.

"Let me make this easier for you. I will ask you questions and you answer them. Alright?"

I nodded my head, a feeling of curiosity and nervousness creeping inside my mind.

"Which kingdom are you from?" He asked me. "Please excuse my ignorance." He said with a light chuckle. "I just returned home today after a long time so I am unaware of most matters."

"Its fine, Damon. I am from the kingdom of Fell's Church. It's a week's journey from here down south from the Noble Road." I answered with ease.

"I know about Fell's Church. You must be the daughter of Lord Grayson Gilbert then, am I correct?" He asked me, his eyes twinkling. I nodded and looked away from him in the fear that If I looked up at his eyes once more, I would lose myself in their depth.

We walked up to the gates of the rear end of the castle and after confirming who it was, the guards at the other side opened them for us, giving us entry to the royal gardens. I looked around in awe, surprised at how beautiful everything looked bathed in moonlight. A light, cold breeze was blowing from the east, ruffling the tree leaves. I shivered due to the cold even though I was dressed in one of my heavier dresses for Mystic Falls' weather.

Damon seemed to notice it as he slipped out of his coat and draped it around my shoulders. I looked up at him in surprise as I tried to slip it off my shoulders.

"No I am fine Damon. There is no need-"

"I insist." He said, his expression showing it clearly that he won't take no for an answer. I hesitantly accepted his coat as he draped it around my shoulders again and wrapped it around me snugly. Beneath his coat, Damon was nothing except for a dark woolen shirt. I felt like protesting again but he seemed to read my mind.

"I am acquainted to rough weathers, Elena. Don't worry about me." He said as he stepped over the grass and held out his hand for me. I took it and stepped over from the dirt path onto the soft grass. We resumed our walking once again. I glanced at him from the corner of my eye. His built was muscular and he was so tall that I barely reached his shoulder.

"May I ask you a question now?" I asked him hesitantly.

"Go ahead." He nodded after thinking for a while.

"Why did everyone think you were…" I trailed off uncertainly. He seemed to know what I was asking his as his expression became serious.

"I am sorry I shouldn't have-"

"I left this kingdom at the age of eighteen, Elena. I was never the one for a quite, royal life. I seeked adventure. I craved freedom. So I decided to head out on my own and see whether I could survive the real world that was out there beyond the walls of this castle." He said, his eyes somewhere far away. I listened with fascination as he continued to speak.

"I traveled alone for years from one place to another. I took part in numerous tournaments and fought wars for various kings. I cannot describe the feeling Elena…but it's like…I felt like I was free and that I was my own master. I didn't depend on anyone nor did I ever take things for granted. I have earned my position with years of hard work. Do you know what they call me?" He said, a smile curving at his lips.

"No..what?" I asked, a smile of my own making its way onto my face.

"Knight of the Shadows." He replied quietly. His reply stunned me into silence and I looked up at him, my mouth hanging open in a very unladylike fashion.

"Y-you are the Knight of the Shadows?" I barely managed to get out.

"Yes. Why, did you know that from before?"

"No! I mean..Yes I have heard about the Knight of the Shadows. He is a mystery. The singers that come to my kingdom from far away sing about your glory and that how you have never lost a tournament before and that how handsome and charming-" I suddenly stopped speaking as I realized what I was saying. I blushed for the hundredth time that night as Damon laughed heartily. This laugh was different. It came straight from his heart without any pretense.

"Oh, why did you stop Elena? I was enjoying your description about me thoroughly. Do go on."

"I …I don't …I mean…I…" I stuttered as I furiously thought about ways in which could change the topic of this conversation.

"Let me spare you from all that stammering. Which color do you favor the most, my lady?" He asked me, a hint of the previous merriment still lingering in his eyes.

"I like the color blue…" I said as I looked up at him and made eye contact with him. What was I saying? My answer should have been green…

"Blue is an interesting color..." he whispered "Full of mysteries."

"What color do you favor, Damon?" I asked him, not breaking eye contact.

"I usually like the color black but tonight, I favor brown."He replied as he reached up with one hand and tucked a stray strand of my hair behind my ear. The place where his fingers came in contact with my skin seemed to tingle. I looked away, suddenly conscious of myself.

"Brown…that's an unusual choice." I replied.

"My choices are usually unusual." He said and then chuckled. "Usually unusual...I like this phrase."

I chuckled with him and pulled his coat tightly around me. It smelled just like him. It was a sweet fragrance and it reminded me of spring, when all the flowers were in full bloom and their combined fragrance sweetened up the whole atmosphere.

I suddenly realized that he had not answered my previous question properly but I didn't press him further. The moon was casting pale luminous light on us. For some time, we walked quietly, neither one of us speaking anything. For some reason, I wanted to make this moment last forever….I wanted to be here in this garden forever with the cool breeze blowing across my face and the soft grass grazing the skin around my ankle.

"I think we should head back, Elena. The hour is quiet late and it would do both of us some good if we could catch some sleep tonight as tomorrow is going to be very eventful." Damon said suddenly, breaking the silence and my dream of everlasting nights.

"Eventful? How so?" I asked him as we turned around and headed back towards the castle.

"You will see." He replied vaguely, not quiet looking at me. I nodded once to tell him that I understood and we conversed about little things on the way back to my chambers. As I spent more time with Damon, I became more at ease around him. I began talking more freely and laughed easily at his jests. I almost regretted it when my room came into sight. For some reason, I didn't want our conversation to end.

"So, this is where we part, Elena. It was a pleasure and an honor to get acquainted with you. I will always look forward to another chance like this if you are willing."

"The honor was mine, Damon. I am looking forward to it with all my heart." I replied and I started taking his coat off. He stopped me as he took hold of my hands in his own.

"Don't…just keep it." He whispered, his eyes blazing like fire. I couldn't do anything except nod. We stood there at the doorway of my chambers for some time, just looking at each other as a profound silence stretched between us. His oceanic eyes bored into my simple brown ones as he suddenly took hold oh my hand in his own and without breaking eye contact; he brought it up to his lips and kissed it once as a way of saying goodbye. Then he backed away slowly and after giving me one last smile, he turned around and walked away, his silhouette disappearing into the shadows.

I took a deep breath and realized that I had been holding it the entire time. I walked over to the chair and took off Damon's coat. Before keeping it down I brought it up to my nose once, inhaling deeply. It smelled just like him. My own reactions to Damon's presence were baffling me…what would Stefan think about my nightly stroll with his brother?

I walked over to my bed and lay down on the soft mattress and before I knew, I drifted off to sleep. That night I dreamed about blue eyes, moonlit gardens and a man who was called the Knight of the Shadows.

**I hope you all liked the Delena interaction ;) **

**I LOVE to receive feedback/reviews from you, guys. Keep them coming! (And I'll update faster ;))**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer : I don't own the Vampire Diaries (Although I do wish that I owned the Salvatore brothers).**

**Well hello everyone! I am sorry for the late update but I was out of town and my whole schedule got messed up. I was greeted by some fantastic reviews and seriously, they made me soooo happy!**

**I try to answer each and every question that you people ask me and I hope I cleared some of the doubts that you guys had! I would just like to say that don't go on judging the characters/plot line just yet; this is only the beginning! I have hardly developed my characters and there is so much more to write. So have patience :)**

**Enjoy**

**Chapter 6**

The next morning, I woke up just as the first rays of the sun touched the ground. I was surprised at myself because last night I had gone to bed way after my usual sleep time. I got up from the soft bed and walked up to the huge open windows as I ran a hand through my tangled hair. My room was in a high tower and the view from my window was just breath taking. I took a deep breath, filling my lungs with pure, cool air as I admired the beauty of Mystic Falls.

"Bonnie?" I called out after I had my fill of the beautiful scenery. I needed to get dressed and go down to the court as soon as possible. I was greeted by nothing but silence. I frowned as I opened the doors of my bed chambers that lead to the main room and I found it empty. The fire in the fireplace had died down long ago and my bath water wasn't ready.

"Bonnie? Are you there?" I called out again as I wrapped a silk cloak around myself. Suddenly the main doors opened and Bonnie walked in, carrying a basket in her hands.

"My lady, I didn't expect you to be up so early!" She said as she stopped in her tracks, looking a bit nervous.

"I didn't either." I grumbled. "And how many times will I have to tell you not to call me "My Lady"?"

"My apologies…" She muttered as she bustled over to the fireplace and started a fire.

"Where were you all night?" I asked her as I filled a glass with water from the jug and gulped it down in a few second. Until then, I hadn't realized how thirsty I was. "I really need to get ready. My presence is required at the royal court."

"I will just prepare a nice, warm bath for you." She placed the basket, which I noticed was full of my freshly washed nightclothes, on the table and started heating water by the fireplace for my bath. For some reason, Bonnie didn't sound like herself. Her eyes were downcast and her movements were jerky, as if she was afraid of something.

"Is something wrong?" I asked her, trying to keep the concern out of my voice.

"What?" She replied absentmindedly as she folded some of my clothes.

I decided to stay quiet as I shrugged out of my nightclothes while she filled the stone tub with hot water. Without checking the water, I stepped into the bath tub and instantly a scream escaped my mouth as I pulled my foot back out. The water was scalding hot.

"Elena I am s-so sorry…" Bonnie rushed over to me and bent down to examine my foot. The skin where the water had touched it had turned red and was throbbing painfully.

"No..." I waved her apologies away. "It's not your fault; I should have checked the water first."

She lowered her eyes and continued to mutter her apologies while I ignored her. Suddenly, another person walked in through the doors and I looked up and saw that it was Rebekah. She was out of breath as she rushed over to me and knelt down beside Bonnie.

"You are hurt, my lady!" She exclaimed as she got up and went to the cabinet beside the stone tub. She opened the top drawer and took out a wooden box out of it which contained various healing salves and bandages.

"I am fine..." I tried to get up but a whimper escaped my mouth as I put pressure on my scalded foot.

"Elena…I…" Bonnie began but she was cut off by a gasp from Rebekah.

"She is _Princess _Elena! You have to address her properly-"

"Rebekah, it's alright. Bonnie and I have known each other since childhood." I replied as Rebekah bent down and applied a light green paste on my burnt skin. Almost instantly, the pain began receding and I couldn't help the sigh of relief that escaped my mouth.

"Still, my Lady. If someone hears her addressing you by your name, she will be punished severely." She stated in a matter of fact voice.

I glanced up at Bonnie who almost appeared sick. "I-I have to go." And with that she scurried out of the room. I was surprised by her abrupt departure. What was wrong with her?

_I will deal with it later._ I thought to myself as Rebekah bandaged my foot with a fine piece of cloth. She helped me stand up and when she made sure I was seated securely, she went to the stone tub and dipped a finger into the water. With a yelp, she quickly pulled her hand back and added some cool water to it from a bucket nearby. After making sure that the water was of right temperature, she lead me to the stone tub and helped me wash.

"You appear very skilled at your work." I commented as she ran a comb through my wet hair. "And knowledgeable in the department of medicine too."

"It's what I have been taught since childhood, my lady." She replied as she twisted and turned my hair and pinned it up with silver clips. The pain in my foot wasn't quite gone but it was bearable.

"How did you know which salve to apply to my burnt skin?" I asked her, curiosity getting the better of me. It was unusual for a handmaiden to have knowledge about healing.

"My..uh…my mother was the village healer." She replied with a slight stammer.

"Really? Which village?"

"The village of…Islebury. It's down south near the coast." She replied after a pause.

"I see." I replied although for some reason, I felt like she was lying. How could she support such a pale complexion after living down south which was famous for the heat and sun?

"And…there. You are ready to attend the court, my lady." She replied after lacing up my purple silk gown. I nodded and dismissed her as I set out for the court. I stopped by the chamber of my brother, Jeremy and decided to knock. It would be better and would make a good impression if both of us entered the court at the same time. As familiar as Mystic Falls felt, I was still a stranger here.

_Not for long…_ I reminded myself.

I went closer and took the lion shaped bronze knocker in my hand and just as I was about to knock, I heard some voices inside. Despite myself, I pressed my ear to the door out of curiosity. Although I couldn't tell who it was but the voice was definitely female. The other voice was of Jeremy and he was speaking in a low, urgent voice.

"Eavesdropping, are we?"

I whirled around in shock, with a hand over my fluttering heart. It was Damon.

"Ser Damon…what are you doing here?" As I looked at him, visions of our walk from last night flooded my mind. A part of me had almost dismissed my meeting with Damon as a dream. Can a human being so perfect exist?

"I could ask you the same, _my lady."_

I instantly realized my mistake from his playful tone "Oh I am sorry…Damon. There, happy?"

"Very much so." He replied as he gave me a lopsided grin and I blushed as I looked away. His playful words were somehow really getting to me.

"You didn't answer my question. Elena." He leaned down and whispered into my ear. I wanted to back away from the sudden closeness but my feet refused to move from their place. Suddenly the ring that Stefan had given me felt very heavy on my hand. _You have a fiancé…you are getting married….get a grip over yourself! _I reprimanded myself mentally as I looked for appropriate words to form an eligible sentence. I had never thought much of my name before but the way he made it sound, it truly sounded beautiful.

"I am just…I heard voices inside so I thought I'd check." I somehow managed as I refused to meet his eyes. His beautiful thunder blue eyes…

Before Damon could say anything, the doors that lead to my brother's bed chambers flew open. Surprise was evident on Jeremy's face as he came out and carefully shut the doors behind him.

"Elena? What are you doing here?" he asked me, completely ignoring Damon's presence.

"I uh…I was hoping to walk down to the royal courts with you." I replied, not wanting to disclose the fact that I was eavesdropping on him. I covertly glanced at Damon to make sure that he wouldn't say anything about it and he nodded in consent, a ghost of a smirk playing on his lips.

"Jeremy, this is Damon-"

"Go on without me, I have something else to do. I will be down there soon." And with that, he abruptly went inside his room and slammed the door on our faces. To say I was stunned by his behavior was an understatement. After the shock passed, embarrassment flooded me as I glanced at Damon, not quite meeting his eyes. What would he think about me now?

"Forgive me my lord…I mean Damon." I quickly correct myself "My brother is young he could be quite unreasonable sometimes."

"It's no issue." He replied simply, his face a composed mask. I couldn't tell whether he was angry or not.

"So, I'll head down then…."

"I am heading that way myself. It would be an honor if you choose to walk into the court with me. "He said, holding out his arm for me. My stomach flipped as I slid my hand through his arm once more and we started walking. For a while we stayed quiet as we navigated through the halls of the castle. Anyone who passed us showered us with pleasantries and greetings. The women stopped and curtsied while the men nodded and bowed. I saw many women, ranging from noble houses to simple handmaids, giving Damon lustful looks but he ignored them all. It seemed like he had eyes only for me and that made me feel very uncomfortable. Why was he looking at me like that?

"Damon?" I asked as somehow gathered the courage to meet his eyes.

"Mmm?" He replied without breaking eye contact for a second. His eyes looked like molten sapphires.

"W-why are you staring at me like that?" I asked him, feeling stupid all of a sudden.

"I am trying to commit this memory to my mind." He replied, his voice deep and smooth as velvet.

"I don't understand…" It was a wonder I was able to form coherent sentences while I looked at him. At his _face._

"Elena remember how I told you that today was going to be eventful?" He said, suddenly changing the topic.

"Yes." I said as a frown creased my forehead. Why was he being so vague? I was starting to have a very uneasy feeling about this.

"So that's why I am having my fill at looking at that beautiful face…free from any sort of hatred or loathing. Just plain innocence."

I nodded even though he was not making sense to me. Not now, at least. My brain registered just one thing; that he thought that I was beautiful.

And just like that, we were at the gates of the court. The guards posted on either side opened the gates after their customary greetings and just as I stepped forward, Damon held me back. The gates weren't fully open so we were protected from the eyes of the people inside the court.

"_Don't hate me."_ He whispered softly into my ear. Before I could ask him what he meant, he smiled and led me down the aisle. The red and gold carpet was soft beneath my feet. To my surprise, I saw that each and every member of the court. King Giuseppe's personal guard was stationed behind his great golden throne and there was barely any space. I saw Stefan sitting near his father and my heart leaped at the sight of him. I grew a bit self conscious when I saw that he was starting right at me, his expression clouded by ….anguish? Anger?

"Take your seat, Elena. I have an announcement to make." Damon nudged me. I nodded at him and went to sit beside my mother.

"So that's the older Salvatore brother. Quiet a handsome one, isn't he?" My mother said as I sat down. I tried very hard not to blush as I nodded in consent. Things that were so evident couldn't be denied.

I glanced in Stefan's direction again. He was not looking at me now but had his eyes fixed on Damon who was walking up to a raised platform near his father's throne. Even King Giuseppe looked grim. What was happening?

"My lords and my ladies, may I have your attention for a little while?" Damon's loud voice cut through my thoughts. He was facing all of us as he continued to speak.

"I left this kingdom many years ago. At that time, even I didn't know whether I would ever return or not. Many asked me, why did I want to leave? I was the…no...I _am_ the heir to this throne. I had everything in life. Then why? What was the need to leave all the comforts behind?" He paused as he turned back to look at his father. King Giuseppe's face was almost purple with anger. Beside him, Stefan was clutching the armrests of his seat with both hands and his knuckles had turned bone white.

"Well, by judging the expression of my beloved Father I think I would have to cut this story short. Why I left does not matter anymore, my people. I am back for good and I have decided….to get married."

A low murmur ran through the crowd as everyone started talking in hushed voices. My heart seemed to stop for a second as Damon announced this. Who was his fiancé? Why did everyone seem so tense?

"And I would like to introduce my fiancé to all of you." Damon raised his voice above the chatter of the nobles. I quickly glanced around the room as I tried to locate Damon's fiancé. Could it be that fair haired maiden opposite me? Or was it the black haired beauty beside me…?

"My lords and my ladies, it's an honor to present my fiancé and future wife, Lady Elena Gilbert." Damon's eyes rested on me as he held out a hand, a warm smile playing on his lips. For a second, I sat unmoving in my place. This had to be a misunderstanding…..a jest. Each and every eye in the room had singled me out and I could hear the murmers everywhere.

"_Elena Gilbert? Of Fell's church?"_

"_Wasn't she supposed to marry the younger brother?"_

"_Lady Gilbert? The Raven you mean! It's a match made in heaven!"_

"_Oh, this is scandalous….the younger brother's fiancé marrying the older brother…"_ and they went on.

"Don't be shy, come up here Elena!" Damon called out, impatiently beckoning me with his fingers. I stood up unsteadily on my feet as my father and mother stared at Damon dumbfounded. Panic seized me and my heart started pounding in my chest as I moved with unsteady steps to join Damon. His smile grew wider with every step that I took and suddenly, I wanted to bolt out of the room.

Stefan! He would set everything right… he would stand up for me…tell Damon that It was all a misunderstanding…that I was _his _fiancé. I looked at Stefan, pleading him with my eyes to do something. I was stunned when I saw him shake his head. Why wasn't he doing anything…?

As I finally joined Damon on the platform, most of the hall broke into applause. The few who had known about my engagement to Stefan looked as stunned as me.

"Damon this is a-" I began but I was cut off when I felt his lips on my cheek. Color flooded my face as I tried to hold my ground.

"I told you…today was going to be _eventful."_

Suddenly his words made sense. All his actions…his vague replies…everything came flooding back to me.

I glanced back at my parents. My mother looked stricken while my father refused to meet my eyes. Did he know…was he aware of this? I wanted nothing more than to scream. I wanted to scream at Damon, at Stefan, at my father, at King Giuseppe. I wanted to scream till everyone understood what I was feeling at this moment. Betrayal.

"You have made your announcement, the court is dismissed." King Giuseppe said calmly as he stood up. As if on cue, all the noble men and women streamed out of the court, talking to each other in excited hushed tones. Suddenly I saw a mass of blonde hair coming into my direction. Everything appeared hazy... I felt wetness sliding down on my cheeks and I realized that I was crying.

"_You fool! What do you think you are doing?"_ Caroline yelled at Damon. I wiped away my tears and saw that her face was red with rage, her immaculate curls bouncing along as she climbed the steps to the platform.

"Stay out of this, little sister. You have no business here." Damon replied coolly as he slid a hand around my waist. I shuddered at his touch and I wanted nothing more than to move away from him. I belonged in Stefan's arms…Only he had the right to touch me.

"No business? NO BUSINESS?" And to my utter horror, she swung her hand and slapped Damon hard across his face. I couldn't help the gasp that escaped my mouth as I backed away.

Damon rubbed his jaw where Caroline had hit him. His expression had turned stony as he stared at her unflinchingly. "I see that the number of self righteous saints in this kingdom has doubled to two."

"Stop talking this instant!" Caroline literally quivered with anger "Why did you come back? To ruin everyone's lives?"

"Bulls eye!" Damon exclaimed, a cocky grin making way to his face.

"Damon, I don't understand…why are you doing this?" I asked him quietly. It felt like I didn't even have the energy to raise my voice. I felt drained of every emotion and I wanted nothing more than to wake up from this nightmare.

"I am doing this because I _can._" He stated simply without even sparing me a glance. What had happened to the old Damon? Which one was real? My mind was reeling with questions. I turned back to look at Stefan. He was looking down at his shoes like they were the most interesting thing in this world.

"Stefan! Stefan tell him that we are betrothed. Tell him we are going to get married in a fortnight…TELL HIM!" I screamed as I threw myself at him. I clutched the collar of his coat and shook him. "Tell him, please…"

"Elena you don't understand." He whispered as he took both of my hands in his own "This situation is out of my control."

I was aware of everyone's eyes on me but at that moment I couldn't have cared less. "You will just give me up?" I asked him quietly, my voice cracking... My hands were growing cold in his warm ones.

"Elena…" His voice was full of anguish.

"YOU SAID YOU WILL PROTECT ME!" I screamed at him as I pushed him back "YOU PROMISED ME!"

"Elena, calm down." Caroline said as she rushed to me. She took my face in her hands "Look at me, I will make it alright. Father, mother why don't you say something?"

"You promised to protect me…." I kept on repeating. The whole world was spinning in front of my eyes. "Protect me…" It felt like my heart had dropped down to my stomach.

"I have no say in this matter. Damon is the heir of this throne and he has rightfully chosen his bride." King Giuseppe said in a clipped tone.

"Rightfully?" Caroline asked disbelief clear in her voice. "If this is the rightful way father, then I am scared of experiencing the unrightful way."

"Quiet!" King Giuseppe thundered, effectively shutting her up.

I glanced at Stefan again, pleading him with my tear filled eyes to save me from this nightmare. My mother's words rang clearly in my ears "_One moment you are dreaming about your future with the one you love and in the next moment, it all comes crashing down."_

Stefan looked into my eyes for the first time that day and I saw something crack inside him. A determined expression took residence on his face and he stepped forward.

"My king" he addressed my father. "I hope you remember that you granted me one wish when I visited Fell's Church?"

"Of course I remember, Ser Stefan" My father said, holding his head high. I looked away from him, not wanting to see his face. If he had any part in this betrayal, then I didn't want to have anything to do with him.

"I want to redeem that wish now, my lord." Stefan began.

"When will you grow up, Stefan?" Damon cut in before he could say anything else. "Elena is my fiancé now and I am not reputed for giving up without a fight." He said as he took my hand in his own and drew me closer to him. He wrapped his arms around my waist and rested his chin on my shoulder as if to prove his point. Embarrassment and fear flooded my veins as my face grew red. I glanced at my parents and saw that my mother was crying quietly into a handkerchief while my father was staring off into space.

Stefan surprised us all by drawing out his sword. He knelt down in front of my father and held the sword in both hands, its tip grazing the stone floor. "Keep your promise and let me have my wish, my lord. Give me a chance to fight for your daughter."

A stunned silence followed his words which was broken by Damon's chuckle. "You will fight me, little brother? Learn to hold a sword first." He said acidly. His hands still rested at my waist and I wanted to tear away from him and run into Stefan's arms.

"You have my permission." My father replied, giving a stiff nod.

"I am grateful for that, my lord." Stefan said as he sheathed his sword and stood up. A glimmer of hope rose up in my chest. Maybe…just maybe Stefan would win…

Stefan walked up to us and stood face to face with Damon who released me. I backed away and stood beside Caroline who took my hand in her own and squeezed it reassuringly.

"What kind of nonsense is this? You are brothers! The same blood runs through your veins!" King Giuseppe roared.

"Let it be father." Stefan said calmly as he stared at Damon, his magnificent green eyes shining like emeralds. "I am a Salvatore too… and we are not reputed for going down without a fight, right Damon?"

"Saint Stefan verses Knight of the Shadows. I am so scared that I am shaking with fear." Damon replied with mock fear, sarcasm dripping from his words. "You want a fight?" He growled "Then prepare yourself for a good one."

All of a sudden, a vision struck me. It was a half forgotten dream that suddenly resurfaced in my mind. I remembered Stefan telling me to run and burning blue eyes…._his _eyes.

"_Dreams are prophecies, Elena."_ Bonnie's voice rang out inside my head.

And suddenly I felt the world black out and the last thing I remembered was the feel of cold stone floor beneath my cheek.

**Damon**

I turned around as I heard Caroline cry out. Elena lay sprawled out before me, her long raven hair splayed out around her like liquid obsidian. Stefan stepped forward but I reached Elena before him.

"Stay back." I warned him as I knelt down beside her. I removed a lock of her hair that was covering her face and picked her up in my arms. She almost felt as light as a feather and after making sure that my grip beneath her was secure, I brushed past Stefan, hitting him hard with my shoulder as I passed. Caroline and the Gilberts made as if to follow me but I motioned them to stay where they were.

"Don't maidens nowadays eat anything?" I muttered to myself as I carried Elena's feather light frame in my arms. Her head rested against my chest and it shifted slightly along with the rhythm of my steps. I carried her all the way across to her tower where she was staying and when I reached her bed chambers, I carefully stepped over the threshold and laid her down on the bed.

"Oi! Handmaiden!" I called out loudly to a passing handmaid. I grinned automatically when I saw that it was Elena's own handmaid, the same one that I had threatened the other day.

"M-m-my lord?" She inched forward but her eyes grew wide as she saw her mistress lying down on the mattress, unconscious. "My lady!" She cried out as she rushed forward, her fear forgotten for the time being.

"Fetch some water and leave us alone." I commanded her. She scurried off with a wooden bowl in her hand while I adjusted the quilt around Elena's body. The handmaid came back with a bowl full of cool water and handed it to me with shaking hands. I set it down on the bedside table as I turned to face her.

"I hope you have maintained your silence about our little conversation that day…what's your name, Betty?"

"B-bonnie, m'lord." She replied.

"Yes that. I have better things to do than keeping a list of handmaid names, y'know."

"Yes, my lord." She replied, her eyes on the floor.

"Good. Now get out."

She bowed once and after shooting a concerned glance towards Elena's direction, she hurried away. I turned back to face Elena and saw that she was still unconscious, showing no signs of waking up. Her chest fell and rose rhythmically along with her breathing and I simply couldn't help myself any longer. I brought up my left hand and after a bit of hesitation, I trailed it along her cheek. Her skin felt softer than the finest silk and the tips of my fingers brushed over the half dried tear tracks. Her eye lashes were so long that it had me wondering how they didn't get tangled into each other every time she blinked.

"Don't hate me, please." I whispered to her, knowing that she couldn't hear me. I barely knew her yet it felt like I had a deep connection with her...

The doors of the bed chamber banged open as Stefan walked in, his posture rigid with anger.

"What do you think you are doing, Damon?" He hissed at me, his right hand gripping the handle of his jewel encrusted sword.

I rolled my eyes "I knew you'd do that, barge in like a little hero. " I said as I turned around to face him "But what the little warrior didn't know that he had walked straight into the lion's den."

"And what the lion didn't know was that the little warrior is determined to kill him." He shot back.

"Well, at least you admitted that I am the lion and you...the 'little'" I said, a grin automatically gracing my features. During all these years, I had missed nothing more than insulting Stefan.

"Stop your games, Damon. You have caused enough damage already." He said as he tried moving past me.

"Already? This is just the beginning, my friend. If you consider yourself damaged now then I have to say you have very weak defenses." I said, effectively blocking his way.

"Get out of my way." He said, his voice slow and full of malice. "Now."

Just as I was about to say something, Elena's voice stopped me. "Stefan?" she called out a bit hoarsely and cleared her throat. She looked a bit paler than usual and her eyes were red and swollen from crying but apart from that, she appeared fine.

"Elena, I am here." Due to the diversion, he slipped past me and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Aww Elena, you wasted all my efforts. I had that handmaid of yours bring me a whole bowl of water and you just woke up without me doing anything?"

"Ignore him." Stefan whispered to her as he took her face in his hands. Due to some reason, this sight enraged me more that it should have. I could almost feel my blood boil beneath my skin as I yanked Stefan off Elena and pushed him into the table.

"That's my future wife that you're touching." I said "Have you forgotten your manners, little brother?"

"I have not forgotten my manners; you have lost your sense! You're insane!" He said loudly as he pushed himself back up and dusted his clothes.

"I wouldn't use the word insane. I am just driven by a thing called vengeance." I took an apple from the fruit basket and took a bite, savoring the juicy flesh. "Now, leave."

"Damon-"

"Leave."

"Then you are coming out with me." He said stubbornly as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"I'll stay here to make sure that Elena is alright." I said slowly, mocking his sense of intelligence. It always infuriated Stefan when I treated him like a child.

"Then I will stay here to make sure that you aren't lying."

"Brother, tell me one thing, who am I?" I said, using another tactic. If it had to come to threats then so be it.

"You are a soulless murderer." Stefan spat back at me.

"Apart from that, I mean." I grinned. Elena gasped behind me and from my peripheral vision I saw her pulling the quilt up to her chest. As if that would stop me if I came down to it.

"You are Damon." He said, making my name sound as If it was some kind of a disease. I was really getting on his nerves and I was enjoying every moment of it.

"Exactly. I am Damon. Enough said." I waved my hand, dismissing him. "I'll count till 10, and if I still find you standing here you will lose a limb. I mean it."

"Elena, don't be afraid, I will be back-"

"One, two, three..."

"I'll find a way-"

"Four, five ,six…."

"I know Stefan but you must leave now." Elena whispered, glancing fearfully at me.

"Elena I-"

"Seven, eight, NINE…"

"Stefan, go!" She cried out.

"And, ten." I turned around and just caught sight of Stefan's long coat vanishing around the corner.

"Well, that saved him a limb." I said as I fell back on the bed beside Elena. She shrank back from me and wrapped the quilt around her petite frame.

"Are you afraid of me, _my lady?"_ I whispered playfully as I shifted closer to her. She shook her head vehemently "No. Not at all."

"Then you wouldn't have a problem if I kiss you right now?"

"W-what?" She stammered, fear clearly reflecting in her eyes.

"Is that a yes or a no?" I said as I propped myself on my elbow. She tried moving away from me but her path was blocked by the headboard.

"Of course it's a no! Why are you doing this Damon?" She said as she wrapped her hands around her folded knees.

"Just because I can." I repeated as I shifted yet closer. There was hardly any space between us and our faces were merely inches apart. "So can I kiss you now? If you say no again, then that means you are afraid." I said, latching onto her weakness.

"I am _not _afraid of you, my lord." She said as she met my gaze steadily. Her bravery and her unwavering gaze impressed me. I had encountered many women in my life and none of them had been half of what Elena was. Maybe it was her qualities that made her so unique apart from her unparalleled beauty.

"It's a yes then." I said as I took her face in my hands. Her breathing sped up a bit as she stared into my eyes without blinking. She tried resisting but soon gave up her futile attempts as she knew that they were of no use against my strength. I almost gave in to the temptation…her lips looked so soft…

I bent forward and just when our lips were about to meet, I kissed her on the cheek instead. Her skin was soft and warm beneath my lips, probably because of her blush which gave her face an irresistible rosy tint. I pulled back, a smirk coming over my lips as Elena tried to control her breathing as she moved away from me towards the other end of the bed.

"Soon." I whispered. "Soon you will be mine."

"Burn in hell." Was her reply as she pulled the quilt over her head and went to sleep.

**The longest chapter till now at 5768 words! Well I am not entirely happy with this one but I hadn't posted in a while and I had to write something! Don't worry, I am not having a writer's block, just out of witty Damon comebacks I guess :P**

**Well I hope someone liked this chapter and if you did, please review and give me feed back! Your reviews are very motivating!**

**P.s- next chapter is going to be Damon vs. Stefan showdown! I am so excited to write that! Stay tuned ;D**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries or any of its characters.**

**An update! Again, I am not particularly happy with this chapter but I say that about most chapters so it's for you to judge. Thank you so much for all your encouraging reviews, you guys ROCK. I can't reply to your questions if you post anonymously so please login if you have any queries!**

**I hope you enjoy!**

I blinked and tried to shield my face with my hand as direct sunlight fell over me from the half open window. A cool breeze wafted inside, rustling the curtains. I shivered from the cold as pulled my blankets up to my chin and I turned away from the blinding light. As I adjusted my position, my hand brushed against something. At first I thought it was a pillow but as I opened my eyes, I came face to face with the devil itself. Damon Salvatore was lying down on the bed just a few inches away from me, with one of his hand around my waist. His eyes were closed and his dark, absurdly long eye lashes almost touched the hollow of his eye. A light stubble covered his ruggedly handsome face and his breathing was slow and deep.

Instantly, memories from yesterday flooded my mind and I hastily scrambled away from him. The movement made him wake up and he propped himself up on one elbow, his half open eyes appraising me.

"Well, I could get used to this." He said, running a hand through his midnight hair as he chuckled.

"W-what are you doing here?" I said as I got out of the bed, intent on putting as much distance between us as possible.

"I was sleeping with my betrothed. Is that a crime?" He said in a teasing tone. My cheeks flamed when I noticed that he was not wearing any sort of garment on his torso and the whole upper part of his body was exposed.

"No. But what you did yesterday surely was." I shot back. Suddenly, the fabric of my dress caught my attention. It was a pale blue nightgown, not the dress in which I went to sleep. I clutched the fabric in my hand as I looked up at Damon, my cheeks flaming.

"Ah, I was just wondering when you'd notice that." He said, his eyes twinkling with amusement. He got up from the bed in one fluid motion and came towards me. His hairs were pointing in every possible direction and his blue eyes caught the sunlight streaming through the window and shimmered like the surface of water.

"Look, don't come near me. Who changed my dress?" I demanded as I backed away from his advances. I tried to make my voice strong but from his expression, I knew he was able to sense my fear and apprehension.

"Why, I did." He said smoothly. "You sleep heavily, Elena. I had no trouble at all." He said the last sentence in a sing song voice.

"Y-you-I-" Unwanted tears pooled up in my eyes as I crossed my hands across my chest. My knees felt too weak to support my weight and I sank down onto the floor with my back pressed against the wall. This was the utmost form of humiliation and embarrassment. Damon had seen me without clothing….Stefan's _brother_, my once brother in law had done this to me…

"Elena, I was just jesting." Damon said, an uneasy edge coming over his voice. "I wouldn't do that. I am not the monster you think I am."

"You didn't?" I croaked out as relief washed over me which was instantly replaced by rage. He kneeled down in front of me and turned around so that he was sitting on the floor beside me with his back pressed against the wall.

"No I didn't however tempted I was." He grinned devilishly, showing off a set of perfect white teeth. "That handmaid of yours had the pleasure of doing it."

"I loathe you." I whispered as I wiped away my tears by the back of my hand. I was feeling very uncomfortable by his presence near me and I felt under dressed in the simple blue night gown. "You _are_ a monster."

"Use that word carefully, Elena." He said as his eyes hardened. He turned to face me and when I tried to get up, he grabbed me by my arms and trapped me against the wall.

"Do you want to know what a monster is? Last night, I could have done unimaginable things with you…things you can't even speak of. I would have torn away that pretty little dress of yours, barred the doors shut and I would have devoured at each and every portion of that pretty skin of yours." A menacing edge came over his voice as his grip on my arms tightened. I whimpered, half at his words and half at his touch and I tried to pry myself free but it was of no use. "Am I a monster now Elena? Am I?"

"Y-you speak of these things as if you have done them previously." I somehow managed as I took deep breaths. My heart pounded in my chest and my arms started becoming numb where Damon was holding me. At my words, his hard eyes softened up a bit.

"I haven't done these things Elena. But I have seen enough." He said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"You are hurting me, my lord." I said as I avoided eye contact with him. He instantly let go of my arms and I almost cried out as blood rushed back into my veins. I rubbed my arms with my hands as I kept my eyes fixated on the floor.

"My apologies. I don't know what came over me." He said as he got up. He offered me his hand but I stood up without his assistance as I pointedly ignored him.

"I would like to get dressed now, my lord." I said, trying to sound cold and nonchalant. I secretly feared in provoking his anger and I knew that where he had gripped me would surely bruise.

"And?" He said as he raised an eyebrow.

"I would like you to leave now, my lord." I said stiffly. I couldn't understand why my heart was racing even now. Why did my stomach flip whenever I looked at him?

"Aw Elena, are you going to be so formal with me? I secretly enjoy it when you are free around me. Like the night we took a stroll in the garden…." A smirk curled his lips as he appraised me with his ocean eyes. He was leaning against the table and he was still without a garment. Sunlight fell on him, illuminating his powerful looking muscles.

"Come here, Elena." He suddenly said as he noticed me eyeing his half naked body. I quickly looked away as I stood rooted to my spot and pretended that I didn't hear him.

"Barred doors….ripped dresses….remember?" His eyes roamed all over my body as he said that while he extended his left hand towards me. I had no choice but to obey. I took small steps towards him while my hand clutched a fistful of my cotton nightgown near my waist. I approached him with downcast eyes and I gasped when he took me by my waist and pulled me towards him. I slammed into his chest due to the force of the action and he chuckled as his arms snaked around my waist.

"I believe patience is one quality in which I lack." He whispered into my ear, his lips grazing the side of my neck. "So enticing. So Irresistible…" he breathed against the skin of my neck as his lips trailed down to my collarbone. The tip of his nose grazed my skin while his hands remained firmly planted at my waist. My breathing speeded up and I closed my eyes. Blood pounded in my ears and my hands rested on his exposed chest due to the lack of space. I was a prisoner where I once thought I would be queen.

"Damon…please…." I whispered as his lips explored my skin.

"I know you want me, Elena. I can feel it. I know you can feel it too." He murmured as he pulled back from my skin. He rested his forehead against mine and his slender nose came into contact with mine. I squirmed due to the extreme level of closeness and I looked anywhere but his eyes because I knew if I looked up, I would be lost.

"I don't know what you are talking about." Suddenly a glint caught my eye and I saw a dagger was resting on the table against which we were leaning.

"Stop denying it, let it go…" His warm breath wafted against my lips, almost making my head swim. He took one of my hands in his own and he placed it over his chest, right where his heart was situated. The rhythm of his heart was strong and steady unlike my own, which was racing like a wild horse. He guided my hand lower over his fine muscles and my cheeks flamed when my hand grazed over his strong abdomen muscles.

"Tell me what you are feeling right now." He said as he took my chin in his hand and forced me to meet his gaze. I unwillingly tore my gaze from the dagger as I looked into his dazzling eyes. As I had predicted, all thoughts left me as I lost myself. In that moment, I didn't care that this was Damon, not Stefan and nor did I care that he was only half dressed. Nothing was real except for _him._

"I….." I tried to form a coherent sentence as he looked at me expectantly.

"Yes?" He said encouragingly.

"I feel….nothing." I said, finally coming back to my senses. I tore my gaze away from his face as I tried to focus on my escape plan despite our closeness.

"A blatant lie." He said as he lifted his hand and rested his thumb against my lower lip to my surprise. The tip of his thumb gently moved along the outline of my lip as he leaned down to whisper in my ear

"Tell me you don't feel the warmth between your legs and I will leave Mystic Falls this instant."

My whole face flamed up at his outrageous words and I focused on controlling my breathing as I tried to form an eligible reply. He chuckled as he took note of my reaction and shook his head mischievously.

"What? No great words for me? No admonishment?" He said, his tone dripping with amusement as I swallowed. My mouth felt as dry as cotton. I tried shifting towards the right so that I would be able to reach the dagger and I almost got hold of its hilt when…

"My….lord?" Rebekah came to a standstill at the entrance of the room as she eyed the scene before her nervously. She instantly averted her eyes when she saw the positions we were in and I made use of the diversion and pushed away from Damon.

"I could have you hanged for this interruption, you know." Damon said casually as he sat down on the armchair beside the table and filled a glass with wine for himself. "What do you want?"

"Lord S-Stefan summons you and Lady Elena in the royal grounds, my lord."

"Oh, right." Damon exaggeratedly slapped his hand over his forehead as he groaned. "I had almost forgotten about that fool." He waved a hand, dismissing Rebekah. She quickly turned around and was gone before I could even blink.

"We will continue our…talk later, my lady." He said as he quickly took my hand in his own and kissed it. Before I could even assess what was happening, he gathered his shirt from the bed and left the room. I sat down on the chair beside the fireplace to catch my breath. My blood was running fast and hot in my veins and even my ears were tinged red. I couldn't gather the courage to summon a handmaiden lest she see me in this condition so I took a deep breath and started getting ready. Today was the day my fate would be decided.

**Damon**

"Oi! Wake up! You had to go whoring around today of all days, eh?" I poked Alaric in the back with the flat end of my sword. His half naked form groaned as he murmured something unintelligible while the girl beside him smiled at me invitingly.

"I swear I'd have you and this whore fed to pigs if you don't get up from that bed this instant." I threatened him as I took him by the arm and yanked him halfway down from the bed. The girl wrapped the bed sheet around her torso and giggled but instantly became quiet as I shot her a threatening look.

"Christ!" Alaric yelled out as he battled with the tangle of sheets that covered him. "Spare me for once, Damon!"

"Not today, my friend. You have to act as my squire against that idiot who calls me his brother." I said as I rolled my eyes. I was really running out of patience.

"I hadn't enjoyed a good woman in over two years and when I got one, you come barging in like you own the place…" He grumbled as he got up and dusted his trouser. I turned towards the whore who was watching us with amusement.

"You. Out."

She instantly got out of the bed and after bowing, she left, her hips swaying a bit more than necessary. I coughed and crossed the room to open the windows to chase out her sickening perfume.

"And to answer your protests, I _do_ own the place, you fool. Now get your indecent body out of my sight and come back only when you are properly dressed."

"As you say, your grace." He said, his words coated in sarcasm. I waited in his room, nursing a glass of fine mead until he returned.

"What do you want from me, Damon?"

"I see everyone who enters this kingdom has a tendency to turn deaf to my words." I said as I narrowed my eyes at him. "I said I will need a squire."

Alaric took a seat opposite me and fixed me with a piercing gaze. "Look at my face and tell me; do I look like a squire to you?"

"Uh, at this moment you seem lesser than a beggar, no offense. So I'd say yes, you do." I said and I pressed my lips together, trying not to laugh.

He scratched his stubble covered jaw with his hand as he looked away "Yes, I am in severe need of a good shave, I agree."

"Tell me friend, how much did you pay that girl to spend the night with you? By judging the way you look right now, it must have been quite a sum-"

"Okay, okay I will be your squire, now get out!"

I could not hold back any longer and a laugh escaped my mouth as I got up and smirked at Alaric. "Good. I will see you at the battle grounds in half an hour."

I left his allotted room without another word and I headed towards Stefan's room. I couldn't help the grin that crossed my features as I opened the door to his room and saw him struggling with his breastplate.

"Need some help, O' brave knight?" I called out dramatically. Nothing pleased me more than an aggravated Stefan.

"You." He said as he turned to face me.

"Me." I replied as I raised an eyebrow. "Were you expecting that mother would come and help the little prince dress up for the tournament?" I asked him as I adopted a child like tone. A shadow crossed his young features and he took a step towards me, his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"If I were you, I'd leave right now." He spit out from between his clenched teeth.

"The keyword here is _if._ You can never be me, Saint Stefan, so don't even try to imagine it. You'll only end up embarrassing yourself."

"Look, Damon. I am giving you another chance…..let's end it all right here and no one will be harmed. End this nonsense and I will forget it ever happened." He said as he removed his hand from the sword.

"I wish I could say that I admire your brave words Stefan, but I sense nothing more than cowardice right now. Is the little prince scared?" I laughed as I crossed my arms over my chest.

His hands clenched into fists and he burst out. "I may not be you, Damon but I am not a coward either. I would rather die than back out. Elena is the love of my life and I will do _anything_ to make her mine, as she rightfully was before you barged in and made our lives hell."

"You can't even put on your armor, my little brother and you talk of undying love? You don't stand a chance in front of me. Love does nothing except for making you weak." I said as I rolled my eyes.

"You are wrong Damon. Love has given me the strength to fight my own brother and as much as I despise it, it has to be done." He said, his green eyes glimmering with determination. Even I was taken aback by his words but I tried not to show it.

"I will not respond to that because your Saint talk is beyond my comprehension. I will just remind you that I will not go easy on you, brother. We will be fighting with real steel swords instead of wooden ones." I said as I tried to intimidate him into giving up. "Give up now and it will save us all a little bit of time and effort. Either way, you lose."

"In that case, I would rather lose with dignity." He said as he raised his head high.

"Well, good luck with that. And…that." I said, motioning towards his breastplate. I turned around and walked out of the room before he could respond. It was almost time and I had to get ready. With Alaric's help, I adorned my black steel armor. The breastplate was encrusted with my family sigil: a golden roaring lion. I unsheathed my sword and held it in my gloved hand as I did a few practice cuts and swings. When the trumpets sounded outside, I took my helmet in my hand and exited the tent which had been set up for the participants. Just as I had requested….no, just as I had _ordered_, the arena was full of people. The whole village had gathered to see the battle between two brothers fighting for their bride.

My father, Giuseppe Salvatore and my mother Elizabeth Salvatore were seated at a raised podium. Caroline was sitting beside King and Queen Gilbert and everyone looked grim. Caroline looked at me with disapproval as I passed by and I couldn't help but wink at her.

I almost laughed when Stefan emerged from his tent. He was adorned in a shining silver armor which seemed a little big for his light frame. His squire, a little lad of about 15 years, trailed after him carrying his helmet. One of my father's old council members, revenue master Lord Belric stood up from his chair and motioned for the crowd to quiet down.

"He can't even manage his own armor, how will he fight against me?" I muttered to Alaric as I smirked. He didn't respond and kept his eyes fixed on Lord Belric.

"Welcome! Today we have gathered to witness a battle between Ser Damon Salvatore, son of King Giuseppe Salvatore, first of his name, champion of the trident tournament, designated as Knight of the Shadows, champion and winner against-"

"Everyone knows who I am, Lord Belric. Can we begin now?" I called out impatiently. A few people in the stands gasped but I couldn't have cared less.

"If it pleases you, my lord." Lord Belric said stiffly as he got down from his podium. Another round of trumpets sounded signaling the start of the sword battle. I saw Stefan turn his gaze towards the stands and nod. I followed the line of his sight and immediately caught sight of Elena. She was sitting alone in the noble section of the stands. Her eyes were fixed on Stefan and she was fidgeting in her seat. I peered at her closely and saw that her eyes were red and puffy and her skin appeared pale. An unexpected emotion gripped me as I saw her wearing one of her full sleeved gown that covered her arms to hide the bruises. It was because of me, because I had gripped her too hard.

"Damon, watch out!" Alaric shouted from behind me. I turned around just in time to see Stefan's sword coming down at me with full force. I brought up my own sword by reflex and somehow managed to block his blow, all the while cursing myself for being distracted.

I exerted force and threw Stefan back with my sword. He did not fall but staggered, giving me enough time to survey his weak points. I attacked him from the left, swinging my sword with as much force as possible. It came in contact with Stefan's sword and the impact ran up my sword arm, making me cringe. The crowds were cheering and screaming in the stands but I had eyes only for Stefan. We circled each other, looking for an opportunity to strike.

"_Knight of the shadows! Lord Stefan stands no chance in front of him!"_

"_I bet on Lord Damon! It's clear who will win!"_

"_Lady Gilbert rightfully belongs to Lord Stefan!"_

"_I bet all of my sheep that Lord Damon would win!"_

I tried to tune out the crowd as I focused on Stefan who was looking for a weak spot so that he could attack. He swung at my feet with his sword but I jumped up at the right time, barely avoiding the hilt. I ducked back as he swiped horizontally at me chest.

"That's all you got, Saint Stefan?" I taunted him. He growled at me as he brought down his sword on me with both hands. I put up my own sword and blocked his attack as I grinned at him. "A child would do better than you."

I pushed him back and this time he landed hard on the ground. A series of gasps and cheers ran down the stands as he panted for air.

"Stefan!" Elena's cry was the loudest. "Stefan, get up!"

I turned to face Elena, a smirk dominating my face. Tears were running down her cheeks as she looked at me with hatred evident on her face. I did a little bow in her direction but my smirk turned into a grimace as Stefan's blow knocked me out from behind. I fell hard on my chest and the hard steel armor did little to cushion the impact. For a moment, all my breath was knocked out of me and I lay face down on the ground. I rolled over just in time and Stefan's next blow hit the ground instead of me. The impact buried his sword deep into the mud and it gave me an advantage of a few seconds. With my sword, I knocked his sword out of his hands and it landed far away from him. It took just one more swing and Stefan was at my mercy. He lay at my feet, defeated and humiliated. The trumpets sounded, declaring the winner. It almost felt like the fight ended even before it started.

"What did I say, saint Stefan? You should have listened to me and it would have saved some time….and would have saved you from humiliation. Do you think a woman of Elena's stature would still love a useless, defeated knight?"

"Enough!"

I turned around and saw Elena standing a few feet away from me. Her face was red with anger and even though tears ran down her face, it didn't hinder her speech.

"It is all a game for you, right my lord? Well, I surrender myself to you. You may do what you please with me but leave Stefan alone."

"Elena!" Caroline rushed forward "What are you saying? You can't just give up without a fight…"

"Caroline, I really appreciate you standing up for me but right now I would like to deal with this in my own way." Elena replied firmly. Hurt crossed Caroline's features but she maintained her silence.

Stefan got up on his own accord and he shrugged his squire away when he tried to help him. The crowd was beginning to disperse by now.

"Elena, I have nothing to offer you except my apology." Stefan said as he refused to meet anyone's eyes. His lower lip was bleeding badly and there was a cut beneath his eye but apart from that he was fine.

"A defeated knight's apology is of no value, Saint Stefan." I snorted. "Maybe you should give up knighthood and become a preacher. A proper Saint Stefan."

"Ser Damon Salvatore, I would like to have a word with you." I turned around and saw my mother, Lady Elizabeth Salvatore coming towards me. I sighed as I handed my sword and helmet to Alaric.

"What is it, mother?"

"Silence! Did I give you permission to say a word, Ser?" Her words had a cutting edge to them even though she didn't raise her voice. "Follow me." And after giving me a cold look, she gathered her skirts in her hands and stormed inside the castle doors.

Alaric nudged me "Looks like you are in trouble."

"Oh Elena, you will be the death of me." I muttered and followed my mother into the castle.

**So that was Damon VS Stefan! We all knew who would win, didn't we? Poor Stefan :(**

**Anyway, sorry for the late update but I was very busy…guess what? Tomorrow is the first day of my college! I am so excited! Wish me luck for college guys and keep the reviews coming. I will be needing motivation and encouragement from you all more than ever because I am going to be very busy now!**

**Don't worry, I will be posting regularly and I will NEVER abandon this story. Until next time!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

**I am so sorry for the wait guys! I haven't posted in like 20 days but I have been extra busy with college and stuff. I promise I will not keep you waiting this long in the future and the next chapter (which is gonna be long with lots of juicy stuff ;) ) is going to be up next Sunday (17 august 2014) I promise!**

**Enjoy!**

**Elena**

I wiped my tears away and pulled a stray lock of my hair behind my ear as I entered my bed chambers. I bolted the huge door shut as I didn't want any intrusion of any kind. My heart was thudding loudly in my chest and when I saw my reflection in the mirror across me, I almost didn't recognize myself. My hair were ruffled and tangled and my eyes were red and swollen from crying. Even my hands were shaking. What had happened to me? In just a few days, I had gone from a cheerful and lively person to this weak and crying mess.

I had let my expectations get high that Stefan would somehow win; that good will win over evil. That my knight in the shining armor will rescue the imprisoned princess from the high tower like I had read in old books. It never occurred to me that Damon would defeat Stefan so easily but now when I reflected back on it, I saw that it was inevitable. After all, he was older and more experienced than Stefan and he wasn't called Knight of the Shadows without a reason.

All of a sudden, a bout of rage over took me and I screamed in frustration as I knocked over a flower vase that was kept over my table. I had no control over my body and I picked up my silver jewelry box and threw it at the mirror. I staggered back as it shattered into a million pieces. Behind me I heard a frantic knocking at the door but I didn't pay attention to it as I sank down at the edge of the bed and covered my ears with my hands.

"_Leave me alone!"_ I shrieked as the knocking at the door continued. A male voice called back to me and instantly my eyes flew open. Damon.

I quickly scanned the room and my eyes rested on a dagger. I picked it up and strode towards the door purposefully. I took a deep breath and unbolted the door and threw it open.

"Elena?" Stefan was standing in front of me, his eyes wide with shock. I quickly lowered my arm which was holding the dagger and held it behind my back.

"Stefan, oh it's you…I thought…..i thought it was him."

"Are you alright, love?" He engulfed me into his arms and I buried my face in his chest as the tears started flowing down my cheeks once again. I loathed myself for being so weak and fragile but I couldn't help it. The dagger slipped from between my fingers and bounced off the stone floor.

"Clearly you are not." He muttered to himself as he picked me up in his arms and carried me to the bed. My fingers involuntarily wound themselves around his shirt and I clung to him tightly as I closed my eyes. He smelled like the earth did after the first rain and the familiar fragrance made me relax.

"Stefan, I-I don't know what I will do now-"

"Shh." He placed a finger on my lips, effectively silencing me. With his thumb, he wipes the tears away from my cheeks as he settled me onto the bed in a comfortable position. He stood there for a minute as if contemplating something and then got into the bed with me.

"Stefan…what if someone walks in?" I asked him quietly as he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me against his chest.

"I don't care, to be honest." He whispered back just as quietly as he placed a chaste kiss on my forehead. "I am so sorry, Elena. I have let you down in every possible manner and you don't know how much I loathe myself right now."

I couldn't bear to hear the pain in his voice and when I glanced at his face, it broke my heart. He looked so dejected, so vulnerable at that moment that I couldn't help myself as I pulled him closer to myself and kissed him on the lips softly. Somehow, I felt guilty for doing so but I quickly pushed the thought away from my mind as Stefan kissed me back. This time, his actions seemed urgent and a bit frantic. I was a bit taken aback by his enthusiasm as Stefan was usually very controlled and laid back.

He snaked a hand around my waist and pulled me closer yet until there was no space between our bodies. His lips never broke contact from mine as he trailed a hand down my jaw, to my neck, to my collarbone and below…

I knew that what I was doing right now was wrong on at least a thousand levels but I was too far gone to come back. Waves of pleasure rocked my body as Stefan's lips trailed kisses from my neck to my now exposed shoulder. My face was flushed red and I bit hard into my lower lip as I felt _him_ against my lower abdomen. His green eyes were dark with desire and I almost moaned when he whispered my name against my jaw line. The place where his lips came into contact with my skin seemed to burn, as if it were on fire.

"Stefan-" I gasped as he started loosening the ties of my dress. His lips were still against my jaw and I almost lost it again when he trailed a hand over my breast. I clenched my legs tightly together as I tried to move away from him. He understood my actions and immediately let go of me.

"Elena, I forgot myself for a moment…" He said as he looked away from me.

"No, it's perfectly fine. I-I love you Stefan and I want you too. I just don't think that _now_ is the right time." I took his hand into my own as I intertwined my fingers with his. He smiled when he noticed his sapphire ring on my third finger and took my hand into his own and kissed it softly.

"And I love you. Always."

"Always." I replied back as I smiled up at him. The moment of happiness was short lived as reality came crashing down on me again. I was now Damon's fiancé, not Stefan's.

When he noticed the sudden change in my expression, he took my face into his hands. "Look at me, Elena."

"Hmm?" I said as I stared into his beautiful blue-green eyes. For the first time, I noticed that there were flecks of gold in his eyes in the inner circle. My lips perked up a bit at my little discovery and Stefan smiled back at me, completely oblivious to what was going on in my mind.

"Elena, I am going to say something now and I want you to listen to me very carefully." He said as he tightened the hold around my face. My hands trembled a bit as I placed them over his own and nodded for him to go on.

"I have a way by which we would be finally together. As man and wife." He began slowly. My eyes widened in shock as I let his words sink in.

"Stefan, what…?"

"Yes Elena, we can still be together. We can still get married, have our own children and get the future that we had dreamed of together."

"How?" I whispered back urgently as my eyes searched his face for answers.

"This is not going to be easy Elena so I want you to know what you are getting into. We both will have to make some…sacrifices." He said hesitantly. He sounded as if he was carefully choosing his words so that he would be able to frame it to me in the best way possible.

"Anything, I would do anything to get out of this situation. I love _you_ Stefan. Please tell me."

"Okay…" He took a deep breath as he began. "I have some…friends in Weldenhal and with their help I have made some arrangements."

"What kind of arrangements?" I asked, thoroughly confused. "And where is Weldenhal?"

"It's a small kingdom up north, half a day's journey from here." He replied "And I have made arrangements for us to elope."

_Elope?_ The idea seemed absurd and impossible at first but as Stefan explained everything to me in detail, it began taking shape.

"But, if we ran away it could have some dire consequences."

"As I said ,sacrifices." He said, smiling at me without a hint of humor.

"Stefan, you would go through all that for me? You will not be a prince anymore, we will have to live a simple life. You are ready to throw away your name, wealth, fame and kingdom all just for me?"

"I didn't fall in love with you just for the sake of it Elena. My home is where you are, nowhere else."

I buried my face into my hands as I tried very hard not to cry but all my efforts became vain when I felt Stefan kiss my forehead. This simple act of affection made me believe in him more than I had ever done.

I wiped my palms on the front of my dress as I nervously looked out of the window. It was a moonless night and there wasn't even the light of stars to guide me due to the heavy blanket of clouds that covered the night sky. I had been like this pretty much the whole day and had shared this plan with no one else but Bonnie. Bonnie was even more anxious about this than I was and she started pacing around the room frantically as the hour of my escape approached.

"Bonnie, you are making me even more nervous. Please just sit down and let me think." I snapped at her as she knocked over a flower vase due to her jittery movements.

"Apologies." She bowed her head and took a seat as a stool beside the fireplace. I had thought that Bonnie would oppose to Stefan's plan and would advice me against it but I was mildly shocked when she broke into a smile as I apprehensively told her about it.

"Elena, this is the best news till now!" She had exclaimed excitedly as she embraced me. I returned her embrace half heartedly, wondering what was going on in her mind.

"You aren't against me eloping with Stefan and its…consequences?"

"What? No! I am sure you two will find a way as long as you are together Elena." She took my hands into her own bony ones as she beamed at me. "I just want you to get away from here….and from _him._"

"I am glad you think so." I replied as a smile finally broke onto my face. "But I won't be seeing you or anyone else for a while, a few years at least."

"Don't worry about me. I am just a handmaid, I will find a new job. There is no shortage of vain nobleborns in Fells' Church now, is there?" She said as she tried to lighten the atmosphere.

"Why don't you come with me?" I had asked her tentatively. I was surprised once again when she shook her head.

"My place is here Elena. In the kingdom. It's where I was born and moreover, I would not want to cause you and Lord Stefan any trouble. It will be difficult enough as it is."

"Bonnie…"

"Now, are you going to tell me the details or not?" She asked me abruptly, effectively changing the topic. So after a few hours, here I was anxiously staring out of the window for the Stefan's signal while Bonnie wrung her hands together in front of me.

"Okay, I think this is it." I whispered excitedly as I saw a lantern light flashing at a distance. After one more glance at it, I quickly got up and collected my belongings into my arms. In a leather bundle, I had stuffed my most precious ornaments, some of my simple dresses and the last, my wedding dress.

"So this is it." Bonnie said quietly as she looked at me, as if she was unsure what to do.

"Come here." I pulled her into a tight embrace and she held me just as tight as I felt light sobs wracking through her light frame. I did my best to control my own tears as I murmured assurances and promises to her. Bonnie had been my friend since childhood and I trusted her more than anyone else. I had not even told about the plan to Caroline and I already felt guilty about it. What would she think about me after this?

"I should go." I whispered as I tried to focus on the present. Nothing else mattered now except for me getting out of this castle as soon as possible. Stefan's plan had been a simple one. All I had to do was pack a few belongings and wait for the signal. After that, I had to slip past the guards and out into the night through the royal gardens until I reached an old oak tree under which an empty carriage would be waiting for me. Stefan had already left for Weldenhal the previous day under some pretense to avoid suspicion. All I had to do was get into that carriage and by noon, I would be safe in Stefan's arms…away from this place. And away from Damon Salvatore.

"Good luck, Elena." She simply said as she let me go. After one more glance at her and my room, I quickly slipped out, shutting the door lightly behind me. Stefan had told me all about the guards and their shifts and right now, it was the time for the guards to change places with each other so my coast was clear. The castle halls were mostly empty and my shadow seemed to chase me as I walked on with quick steps, clutching my leather bundle tightly against my chest. I slipped out of the back doors into the royal garden without any incident. My heart was pounding loudly at my chest and I was feeling out of breath. I almost got caught once and had to hide behind a thick bush until the guard passed away. After I made sure that I was not being followed, I slipped out from behind the bush and headed towards the oak tree that Stefan had told me about. Soon, I spotted it at a distance and gave a sigh of relief as the horse drawn carriage came into view. A lantern was hanging from its room, thus illuminating it for me. After one more look behind my shoulder, I quickly ran up to the carriage and got inside.

"You know where to go." I made a statement rather than a question as I tried to sound brave in front of the carriage driver. He just nodded his head once and snapped the reins. The horses neighed and broke into a light trot and I didn't relax until we were out of the castle bounds. I rested my head against the carriage wall and the to and fro motion almost lulled me into sleep once or twice but I willed myself to stay awake, just in case.

Soon enough, my eyes started shutting down and before I knew, I drifted off into a deep slumber. I must have been asleep for quite a few hours because when I woke up, clear sunlight was streaming through the flapping curtains. Something about the whole scenery seemed a bit off because for once, it was much warmer than it had been in Mystic Falls. I frowned and peeked out of the curtains and saw lush greenery instead of light snow.

"Where are we going?" I asked the carriage driver firmly as I tried to keep fear out of my voice. I started getting uneasy when he didn't reply. He didn't even turn around as he snapped the reins harder and the carriage jolted forward at an even faster pace.

"_I said, where are we going?"_ I raised my voice as I quickly grabbed my belongings just in case I needed to jump. I had a strange feeling about this whole situation. "We were supposed to head north and this is anywhere but!"

"Were we? I thought otherwise." Came a velvet smooth reply that instantly made my blood run cold. I broke into cold sweat and my heart beat spiked up as I shook my head. "No…no…"

The carriage came to a sudden halt and I grabbed the frame to steady myself. This was his voice. It was him. Damon.

**Damon**

"Good morning to you too Elena, where are your courtesies?" I took off my hat and cheap robe that I had been wearing to conceal my royal attire and threw them onto the dirt ground.

"Damon..? How…?" She croaked out, her eyes as wide as the moon itself. Her face seemed pale, as if all the blood had drained out of it and her hands were trembling in her lap.

"Details. The first rule to make a perfect escape is to notice the details which, you sadly didn't and neither did that fool who still dreams of fairy tale endings." I replied sarcastically as I rolled my eyes.

"This isn't Weldenhal, is it?" She asked me as she looked around.

"Weldenhal? Is that where Saint Stefan decided to take you so that you could unite as one and live happily ever after?" I couldn't help but snicker. "Poor boy has a lot to learn."

"Where are we-"

"Why, Guildwen of course, where else?"

"Guildwen…" She whispered and when realization finally dawned onto her, she stumbled backwards, shock evident on her face.

"Yes, Guildwen." Guildwen was one of the most religious kingdom and it had the largest church in the whole country. It was considered the most sacred place for marriage.

"There is no way out of it, is there?" She finally said, letting out a humorless laugh.

"I don't understand why you see this as a punishment. You are better off with me than with that imbecile." I said, annoyance creeping into my voice. Why was it such a big thing for her to accept?

"Are you hearing yourself right now? _You_ are an imbecile, a fool and nothing more than a jealous man who can't bear to see his younger brother happy!" She shouted these words at me, her face growing red with anger. Before I knew what I was doing, I had her pinned against the carriage wall.

"No one talks to me in that manner, do you understand?" I hissed at her as she cowered beneath my grip.

"Damon!"

I turned around and saw Alaric galloping towards me on his white horse.

"Let go of her, now!" He got down from his horse and moved towards us, his brows almost meeting in the centre as he frowned. His concerns were unnecessary as I had already let go of Elena, remembering the bruises I had caused her previously.

"Alaric-" Before I could utter another word, he brushed past me and kneeled beside Elena.

"Are you hurt, my lady?" He asked her, concern etched in every angle of his face. I scowled and crossed my arms as I waited for him to finish.

"N-no, my lord." Elena replied, her eyes downcast. I was already starting to resent my actions as my anger cooled down.

"There is no need for that, just call me Alaric." He said gently as he guided her towards me. I held out my hand for her and she hesitated before she took it. There was something about her expression, something about her eyes that bothered me. She seemed….almost resigned. I determined to change that and vowed to myself that I would bring up her happier side, even if just for a moment.

"Elena, my most sincere apologies. I have been away from home too long and I have nearly forgotten how fragile you women are." I said, bowing my head. She didn't say anything but just stared ahead, refusing to meet my eyes. I avoided glancing at Alaric as I lead her inside the church and let some handmaids whisk her away to prepare her for the wedding. Our wedding.

She did not resist or show any signs of her previous fear or anger as she walked away from me. In fact, even she seemed more composed than usual.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Damon?" Alaric started as soon as Elena was out of ear shot.

"I don't need you chastising me, Alaric. I have a wedding to attend. Oh, did I mention that I am the groom?"

He rolled his eyes and shook his head "You will never change."

"No, never."

"She is just a child, Damon. I would advise you to treat her a bit more….gently."

"Gently? What's that, a new word you learned while sleeping around with whores?" And before he could say another word, I turned around and walked away. Even I didn't have any explanation for my short outburst but I needed to get away from him, from everyone.

Due to my irritation, I knocked the jug of water out of the serving boy's hand and instead told him to fetch me some wine.

"B-b-but sire, this is a holy place and wine is not permitted here…" He stammered as he kept his eyes onto the floor.

"Listen, boy. Are some holy rules more important than human life?"

"N-no sire.."

"Good, then get me some damn wine before I chop your head off."

He was gone before I even finished my sentence and within a few seconds, I was enjoying the taste of fine wine. I raised my glass up to Alaric who was across the room from me but he just shook his head and stayed quiet. I was constantly thinking about Elena….what she was doing…what she was feeling…

In order to get her out of my mind, I kept drinking more and more and just like that, it was time for me to attend my wedding. I let my mind wander and without any reason, I started going over the conversation that I had with my mother just after I defeated Stefan…

"_Ser Damon Salvatore! I want you to explain your actions to me right this instant!"_

"_Mother, you don't need to call me Ser-"_

"_Did I give permission to call me your mother, Ser? I am your Queen and I want you to be respectful to me."_

"_Yes…my Queen." I replied curtly._

"_Good." She nodded. "Now, explain your actions of the past few days, Ser."_

"_Well, you see my Queen, I came back a few days ago, I drank some beer, then I drank some wine, then I took a bath, then -"_

"_Damon! This is not a jest, I am serious." She scowled at me as I grinned at her._

"_Mother, it would be for the best if you don't get into these matters." I said as I picked up my helmet and tried to leave._

"_Not so easily, Ser. You come home after years and the first thing you do is sabotage against your own brother?" She shook her head in disgust. " I thought you were better than that."_

"_You and I both know that I am way worse than that, so I think it would be for the best if we leave it at that." I yawned. "I 'll get going now, my queen. Have you had your fill of royal courtesies for the day?"_

_A ghost of a smile crossed my mother's face but she dismissed me with the wave of a hand._

"_Oh, Damon?" She called out as I turned to leave._

"_Yes, mother?"_

"_Be careful."_

"_I always am."_

"_I was not talking about you." She said as she gave me a meaningful look and before I could ask her what she meant, she swept past me and left._

I came out of my reverie and shook my head to clear the unwanted thoughts. I have had more than enough glasses of wine and as I entered the church, I almost stumbled and fell but Alaric caught me. For the rest of the ceremony, he kept throwing a string of profanities in my direction whenever I was within earshot.

"Elena! Where is my beautiful wife to be?" I shouted. The priest threw me a scandalized look before he crossed his heart and moved away from me.

"Damon, keep your voice down, you are clearly drunk." Alaric said as he grabbed hold of my arm before I could fall upon a handmaiden. She gave me a terrified look and hastily scrambled away.

"Bonnie! Bonnie, that's Bonnie! Look how she is running, little whore."

"Damon!" Alaric clapped a hand over my mouth as he dragged me over to the altar. "No it's not Bonnie, her name is Mathila just so you know."

"Why, did you fuck her too? Right in this church, eh Alaric? You hear that, ol' priest? Alaric's been fucking your local handmaidens!" I roared and then burst into a fit of laughter.

"I apologize for his behavior, he is not in his senses right now-" Alaric tried to explain to the priest who had grown very red in the face.

"The bride is here, Ser." Someone beside me announced.

"Where? Where is Elena?" My vision was bit blurred but somehow I managed to locate her among the crowd. As soon as I set my eyes upon her, it felt as if all the wine drained out of my system. She was standing at the church's entrance, looking around hesitantly while some of the handmaids surrounded her.

From neck to ankle, she was clad in pure white satin-silk. Her wedding gown was high necked and even the sleeves covered both her arms, but never had I thought that a woman would look beautiful even when fully covered. A light transparent veil covered her face and fell to her bosom and her dress hugged her skin till her waist and then played out in circles of molten silk around her feet. She was easily one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen.

Alaric brushed past me and went up to Elena and held out his hand for her to act as her father figure for the wedding. She tentatively took his offered arm and slowly made her way down the aisle to me to the altar, where I was standing.

Elena, so beautiful, so irresistible. I blinked as I tried to focus on her as the distance between us closed. Finally, she stood beside me and I couldn't look away from her even if I wanted to. Her lips had a rosy tint to them as well as her cheeks and her long, raven hair were held up in an artistic bun by silver clips.

Her face, once again was devoid of any emotion except for her eyes which betrayed fear and apprehension. Her eyes met mine when I took her hand into my own while the Father spoke nonsense that was out of my understanding capacity.

"You look absolutely breathtaking, Elena." I whispered into her eyes.

"Thank you, my lord." She nodded stiffly as she looked straight ahead. Her stubborn expression made me chuckle and due to my drunken state, I laughed out loudly, which earned me a glare from the priest but I couldn't have cared less. I was marrying the most beautiful creature in this entire world.

"So do you, Damon Salvatore, son of Giuseppe Salvatore, champion of the trident, heir to mystic falls, winner of the maselen tournament, five times champion of the Silver bay tournament, designated as knight of the shadows take Elena Marie Gilbert as your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do. Can I kiss her now?"

"Damon!" Alaric hissed at me from behind me.

"And…" The Father paused for a moment as if to collect himself and the look of pity that he shot Elena didn't escape my notice.

_Later. I will deal with him later._

"And you, Elena Marie Gilbert, daughter of King Grayson Gilbert of Fell's Church, sister to future heir prince Jeremy Gilbert, and designated as The Raven, take Damon Salvatore as your lawfully wedded husband…?" He trailed off, as if expecting something other than a yes.

There was a long silence in the church for a moment as Elena stayed quiet beside me. She looked up at me and our eyes met, blue and brown. In her eyes, I noticed a profound sadness for the first time but it was gone when she blinked.

"I …do." She whispered, barely loud enough for me to hear. The priest made her repeat the words once more before he finally announced us as man and wife.

"And _now_, you may kiss the bride."

Fear streaked through her eyes as her breaths became shallow and fast. She turned to face me with her hands clutching her silk dress on both sides.

"Elena…." I lifted her veil slowly and threw it back over her head as I cupped her face into my hands. Her skin was burning where I touched her and her eyes were moist with tears.

"I am not going to hurt you." I whispered. "I promise."

She didn't respond as I bent down and slowly kissed her. Her lips were soft beneath my own and I almost stumbled back in shock when I felt her respond to the kiss. Her hands rested against my chest and I wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her closer. The people surrounding us, mostly nuns and other locals, cheered for us.

And that was the day I broke my first promise to her.

**Yeah, that happened. They are FINALLY married. And oh, I almost forgot. Thank you SO much for all your lovely reviews! Can I hope to cross 100 reviews with this one? I will love you all forever!**

**So what do you guys think? Any theories/guesses for the future? Should Damon get drunk more often or not? xD Oh oh and do you guys damon-alaric interactions?**

**Let me know in the reviews section whether you hated it/loved it…anything. Until next time!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

**Disclaimer : No I don't own the vampire diaries or any of its characters. Damn...**

***Peeks out from behind a rock* Okay, before you guys hit me with stones or bullets or I don't know…come after me with pitchforks (yikes!) I would like to apologize for the late update.**

**I know I know I promised that I would update on 17****th**** August and I am a whole week late and believe me, I feel very guilty. Especially after reading all your AWESOME reviews. I finally crossed a century! **

**You guys are totally awesome and legen….wait for it…dary! And you deserve faster updates. I wouldn't be giving out update dates from now on because apparently it does not work that wayyy :P**

**Enjoy!**

**Elena**

It seemed like I was a part of a never ending dream. Young girls bustled around me carrying various things or fussing with my hair and dress while I sat on a high chair in front of a mirror with faded corners. Just a few hours ago, I had set out from Mystic Falls with my heart full of hopes and dreams of my future but now, here I was sitting in a stranger's house, staring into a hazy mirror. The mirror reflected my future….unclear. Unknown.

The thought should have scared me. It should have sent my heart beating at a frantic pace but it didn't. I felt oddly in control of my emotions which for me, was unusual. I felt…nothing. I was drained, I was tired of running. I was tired of planning ahead, of dodging Damon.

In a way, my heart had accepted my fate. There was nothing that I could possibly do without putting my loved ones in danger. On one side there was a pit and on the other, a well. Either way, I fell.

I winced as a handmaiden pulled a wooden comb through my slightly knotted hair. Another girl straightened my white wedding dress around my ankles. The bodice of my self crafted dress fitted my torso snugly and it flared out at the waist. It had pearl buttons up the back and the full sleeves were made of a see through cloth. I used to look at it and dream about how my wedding night would be.

"_I would dance more than anyone else on my wedding night. It would be my happiest day." _I had said to Bonnie a few years ago.

I shifted my gaze back to the mirror as the handmaid pinned my hair up into a fancy twisted bun and secured it with silver clips. She then dipped her fingers into a deep red essence of some sort of fruit and dabbed it onto my lips to give them a rosy tint.

_Pomegranate _I thought as some juice slipped past my lips into my mouth.

The handmaid said something to me but as I was lost into my own thoughts, I didn't catch it.

"Milady?" She gently touched my shoulder with a hesitant look in her eyes.

"Yes?" I finally set eyes on her and saw that she was just a little girl, no more than twelve years old.

"Its t-time, milady. Time for the wedding." She said as she averted her gaze. She had an ordinary face but her eyes were a striking blue color which went well with her midnight hair.

I just nodded at her as I didn't believe that I could form words at that moment. I got up from my chair and walked towards the door, without glancing at the mirror again.

"You look beautiful, milady." The little girl whispered in an excited voice as the other girls began following me out. I couldn't help but let a small smile grace my features as she nearly skipped beside me.

"What's your name?" I asked her.

"It's April, milady."

"You seem very enthusiastic. Is this because of the wedding?"

She blushed "I-I have never gotten a chance to a wedding this big, milady."

"I am sure you must be looking forward to getting married one day." I said. She reminded of me of how I used to be like in my childhood.

"Yes I am!" She giggled lightly "I am getting married in two months. Father betrothed me to the blacksmith's son. Milady." She hastily added.

I let out a light laugh despite myself. "What kind of wife would you be, April?"

"Well…" She trailed off as we neared the opening to the church. Nearby, I could hear various bystanders gasp in surprise or awe, but I focused my attention on April to avoid them.

"Don't hesitate. Tell me." I smiled at her encouragingly.

"I will be a dutiful wife, as mother taught me to be." She replied innocently.

I wanted to keep talking to her but it was time for me to enter the church. All of a sudden, I started panicking. The room was full of people and here I was, a stranger in their land, getting married to a strange man.

The huge double doors opened and music flooded out. The bystanders were whispering among themselves and I let my eyes roam around the vast hall. I inhaled sharply as I finally noticed Damon standing in front of me at the altar. Ser Alaric stood beside him with the priest, who looked mildly outraged for some reason.

Damon looked strikingly handsome in his coal black robes and for a change, his dark hair were swept back neatly. Even from the distance, his piercing blue eyes seemed to see right through my soul and suddenly, I felt the need to cover up even more than I already was. I felt exposed in front of his unwavering gaze.

I had expected the priest to act as my father figure in the wedding but I was a bit surprised as Ser Alaric moved past Damon and came up to me.

"Take my arm, my lady." He said in an extremely gentle tone. He smiled at me and his eyes displayed nothing except kindness. For a moment, I felt reassured by his fatherly presence beside me and I wove my hand through his and we started walking towards the altar in slow, measured steps which matched the music.

I kept my gaze down as we finally reached my husband to be.

I stopped breathing for a moment as he took my hand into his own. I shot a quick look at his face and saw that his cheeks were a bit flushed and his gaze was unsteady….he was under the influence of wine.

"You look absolutely breathtaking, Elena." He whispered into my ear as the Father started speaking.

"Thank you, my lord." I nodded as I tried to keep any emotion out of my voice. For some reason, my reply made him laugh and behind us, Alaric sighed.

I did not pay attention to what the Father was saying but my head snapped up when Damon spoke.

"I do. Can I kiss her now?"

His words made me flush and my face started feeling extremely hot as a few people around us tittered.

"Damon!" Ser Alaric's annoyed voice sailed out from behind us. I tried to calm myself down as Father spoke some words which fell deaf onto my ears and looked at me expectantly.

"I…do." I whispered.

"Pardon?" The priest asked me again.

"I do." I replied more loudly.

" I hereby pronounce you man and wife…. And _now_, you may kiss the bride." The priest said as he stepped back and closed the bible.

My heart started pounding in my chest as Damon drew me closer to him. I hadn't really thought of this aspect of the marriage before.

For a second, he didn't do anything as he just stared into my eyes. I wanted to look away but I didn't for some reason. I kept my gaze fixed onto his as he slowly lifted my veil up and threw it back over my head.

"Elena…" He whispered as his eyes roamed all over my face and finally rested on my slightly parted lips.

"I am not going to hurt you. " He said "I promise."

He cupped my face into his warm hands and before I could react to his words, he bent down and kissed me. This kiss was unlike all other kisses I had ever experienced. He was not rough or dominating like I had been expecting but his kiss was slow, passionate and lingering. For a moment, everything else faded away. There was no church, no wedding, and no applauding bystanders. It was just me and Damon. I felt myself responding to his kiss and before long, I plunged in. My lips moved in perfect synchronization with his and I rested my hands onto his firm chest.

We snapped back to reality as Father cleared his throat. I instantly broke the kiss and stepped back a few paces. Even though I had stopped kissing him, I still felt the blazing touch of his lips on my own.

Damon grinned at me as he lightly brushed my cheek with the tip of his fingers.

"That was a very enthusiastic kiss, my wife. Ah, I like the sound of it so much." He slurred a bit as he pulled me closer by my waist.

"I am not sure I do." I blurted out without thinking and instantly regretted my words. I had seen flashes of Damon's anger before and I was extremely terrified of what he could do to me. To my surprise, he just laughed.

"Well Elena, you might not now but you surely will, after tonight." He whispered into my ear, his voice full of his usual cockiness. My breath froze in my throat and my eyes grew wide with shock. Tonight was my wedding night….the night of our union. It was Damon's right by law to consummate the marriage.

"Damon." Alaric intervened. "Lady Elena seems a bit tired after the long journey, maybe you ought to rest-"

"We will only rest when we get back to the castle." He declared but shot me a quick wink. "If we set out now, we will reach Mystic Falls by nightfall."

"Is that wise?" Alaric asked skeptically as he shot me a pitiful look. I averted my gaze and stared down at the carpet.

"Do I ever say un wise things, my friend?" Damon asked him as he smirked and moved past him, dragging me along with him by my hand.

"Yes, you do." Alaric muttered but followed us out.

"You, boy." Damon shouted at a boy who was tending to a horse in the village stable.

"Me, milord?" He said as he pointed at himself.

"Of course you. Unless your horse understands English?"

The boy blushed as he hurried forward. "What does milord require from me?"

"What your lord requires is too much for your young, innocent ears. For now, can you handle horses?"

"Yes, milord."

"Good." Damon tossed a small purse in his direction and the boy's eyes grew as wide as the coins inside itself.

"Take us back to Mystic Falls and all this is yours."

"Y-yes milord! Right away, milord!" The boy hastened forward and took charge of the royal carriage. Damon placed his hand on the small of my back and ushered me forward along with him. We got into the carriage and Damon sat down beside me. A bit too close for my liking.

Ser Alaric took a seat opposite us and in a way, I felt a bit safe with his presence. From what I had seen, he had some control over Damon.

I blinked and looked up at Damon as he interlinked his fingers with mine. As usual, my own hand felt cold in his warm one. He gently traced the back of my hand with his thumb.

"Does that feel better? You are always so cold, my wife." He smirked and suddenly, it felt like he was referring to something more than my skin temperature. I didn't pull my hand out of his because of Ser Alaric's presence. As much as I loathed Damon right now, he was still my husband by law and it would be very rude of me to dishonor him like that in front of anyone.

"I am not cold, I just feel you burn too hot for my liking." I replied back, using his own ploy to get back at him. Ser Alaric coughed and looked out of the carriage door, pretending to be lost in his own thoughts.

"Ahh, being feisty are we?" He said as continued to trace my hand with his thumb.

"I am tired." I replied, ignoring his words. I rested my head back against the wall of the carriage and closed my eyes. The rhythmic to and fro motion of the carriage was relaxing.

"Rest all you want, Elena because tonight, I'll make sure you don't get to close your eyes for _one_ second."

And with these words swirling around my mind, I drifted off into an uneasy slumer for the rest of the way.

"Wake up, my lovely wife." Damon's sing song voice floated down to my ears from above. I blinked and open my eyes and the first thing that I saw was two beautiful blue glowing orbs. I shot up straight and pressed my back against the carriage's wall. I had been lying down on Damon's lap and I had no idea how I got there.

"Where…?"

"We're home." He replied simply. I noticed that the night sky was an inky black color and there were barely any stars visible through the heavy cloud cover. I got out of the carriage and made an effort to straighten my rumpled dress but gave up soon as it was pointless.

"S-sire?" The young boy who had driven us all the way home from Guildwen stammered from behind us.

"You are still here? Run along before your mother thinks that you are off sneaking around with a maiden." Damon waved him away.

The flush on the boy's face was visible even in the darkness. "How will I go home, milord?"

Damon rolled his eyes "There is enough money in that purse to buy you five sturdy horses. Buy one now and get out of my sight."

"Th-thank you sire." The boy beamed and sauntered off into the village.

"That was….unexpectedly kind of you." I raised my eyebrows at him, waiting for an explanation.

"A Salvatore always pays his debts." He replied, his famous Damon Salvatore smirk already in place. "May it be in kindness….or in revenge."

Alaric Moved ahead of us to let the gatekeepers know who was coming. The huge metal gates rose up and we made our way inside. I shivered due to the cold breeze and my light silk dress wasn't helping much. Damon must have noticed it because he swung off his warm woolen jacket and draped it around me.

"You don't need to-"

"I insist." He replied, his eyes boring into mine. In the darkness, they appeared a deep sapphire color instead of the usual oceanic blue. All of a sudden, I was reminded of the day when we had taken a walk into the royal gardens at midnight. The exact same thing had happened back then and a sense of déjà vu hit me. He must have been thinking along the same lines as he suddenly said

"Elena, would you like to take a walk with me through the garden before we address the rest of my family?"

"I…" My mind wanted to resist but somehow I felt myself nodding to his request. "I would love to."

He smiled his dazzling smile, and something about his expression told me that he was surprised –and _pleased_- with my answer.

"Alaric, tell everyone that we are in the garden and make sure that no one disturbs us there. Oh and, do tell my father that we are married." He grinned and led me off towards the back portion of the castle.

I pulled his woolen jacket snugly around me as we walked at a leisurely pace, none of us talking.

"Elena, I want t apologize about my crude behavior back at the chapel." Damon said, finally breaking the silence. He had shoved his hands into the pockets of his trousers and his hair was back to its usual messy state.

"It's alright. You may do as you please, my lord." I replied slowly.

"Elena, look at me." He took hold of my elbow and whirled me around so that I was facing him. "I am your lawfully wedded husband now. You may address me by my birth name."

"No…my lord. You made your choices, now I will make mine."

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger. "I saved you, believe me. You would have ended up getting nowhere with that fool." He took my face in his hands and pulled me closer to him "And I…." His warm breath washed over my lips, making my head spin with that intoxicating fragrance that was uniquely his own "I will make you the queen of this kingdom."

"And what if I don't want to be Queen?" I whispered back, my words barely audible to my own ears.

"Of course you do. Who doesn't?" He snorted. "Don't tell me that you are turning into a saint like Stefan."

_Stefan…oh Stefan…_

"_WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS DAMON?"_

My heart nearly jumped up my throat as I witnessed Stefan's tall form storm out into the garden. He had unsheathed his sword and his eyes had a crazed look in them, something which I had never seen before.

"Which part of "Don't disturb me while I am in the garden" didn't you understand, brother?" Damon asked him as he rolled his eyes. He did not even bother to take his sword out to defend himself.

"You son of a-"

"If I were you I'd stop right there. Mother wouldn't take it well is she knows that you are referring to her as a…" Damon trailed off.

"Enough! Enough Damon! What were you thinking?" Stefan was literally quivering with anger "I should kill you right now and rid this world of a huge abomination."

"Stefan!" I gasped, my eyes darting between the two brothers.

"Aww, and I was thinking that we were getting along quite well. I was even planning to name my child after you. The grumpy one." Damon smirked and he leaned back against the thick branch of a tree.

"I'll kill you-" Stefan lunged forward but before I could reach Damon, I got into his way.

"Stefan, no-look at me…" I placed my hands onto his heaving chest to calm him down. Beneath my palm, his heart was working up a furious pace.

"You know what, Stefan? When I look at you I see myself. A less charming, less intelligent version, that is." Damon took me by my wrist and pulled me behind him.

"Elena is my wife now, and if your actions cause her any harm, you will have to answer me." He growled at Stefan. They were practically nose to nose. I brushed past Damon and shrugged his hand away when he tried to stop me.

"Stefan, what's done is done. You can't change anything now and neither can I. The most sensible thing to do now is to calm down and think rationally." I said, as I gently touched his face with my finger tips and I mouthed "I love you." So that Damon wouldn't hear.

He visibly relaxed as he sheathed his sword back in. "I will find a way, I swear."

I nodded just to humor him although deep inside, I knew that it was not possible.

"Elena, I would like you to go back to your-no, _our_ bed chambers and stay there until I return." Damon's ice cold voice came from behind me.

"Damon-"

"I wouldn't repeat myself again, Elena. Now."

Something about his tone made me blush and after shooting another glance at Stefan's direction, I brushed past him and made way for my bedchambers. I felt like stopping for a moment when I came near the chambers which were assigned to my parents but I willed myself to move on. I was deeply exhausted by the long journey and I didn't feel like holding a conversation.

Finally, after a long and exhausting climb to the fifth floor of the castle, I reached my bed chambers. As I pushed my doors open, I noticed that all my things were gone. My cupboard was empty, the bed was not made and the fireplace lay long cold.

_Of course…_ It struck me after a moment's confusion. Damon must have had my stuff shifted to his bed chambers. _Our_ bed chambers.

The thought made my feet turn cold and a wave of anxiety washed over me. What will I do when Damon returns? Surely, like most males, he would be expecting to consummate the marriage. Through the years, I had experienced a lot of physical intimacy with Stefan but I had never done the act itself. I had a basic idea of what it went like and I had always dreamed about how my wedding night would be with Stefan…but this was completely different.

I was married to a stranger, who expected me to fulfill all my roles as his wife. It was a nightmare in itself.

I walked out of my room and grabbed a nearby lantern as I made my way over to Damon's chambers with excruciatingly slow steps. All my previous exhaustion was forgotten and my heart was thumping furiously. When I finally reached the door to his-our- room, I paused and took a deep breath before I entered. I let out a sigh of relief as I entered and quickly shut the doors behind me. A warm fire was already roaring in the fireplace and I stood in front of it for a few minutes, warming my freezing fingertips. His bedroom was immaculately clean and there was not a single crease on the bed sheets of the huge bed.

I broke into cold sweat as I stared at the bed longer. This would be where he would take me, hence completing the union of our marriage.

I rested my head against the cool stone wall as I tried to calm myself down.

_It's okay, it will be okay. _I thought o myself as I searched my mind for something which would provide me with the strength to go on with the act. I was surprised when April's words replayed them in my mind.

"I would be a dutiful wife." She had said. _Yes…_I thought. _What's done is done. I would be a dutiful wife, for the realm's sake at least. For my kingdom's sake, which one day, would be my responsibility._

I decided to distract myself by taking a quick bath. After making sure that I had barred the doors properly, I warmed some water by the fireplace and prepared myself a hot bath in the stone tub. I scrubbed off all the dirt off my body using a washcloth and even washed my hair as Damon showed no signs of appearing anytime soon. As I had thought, I found most of my clothes lined up beside Damon's in his huge mahogany cupboard. Out of curiosity, I took out one of his jacket and gave it a little sniff. It smelled just like him, heavenly and intoxicating.

After drying my wet hair, I quickly pulled over a lace night gown over my body. I carefully chose one which bared the minimum amount of my skin. After lacing it up on the front, I went to the double doors of the bedroom and unbarred them after much contemplation. I was highly tempted to let them stay locked but in the end, the rational side of my mind won.

Having nothing else to do, I sat down on an arm chair and fed the fire with a few heavy logs of wood. The warmth felt good against my skin and I relaxed back into the arm chair.

I started wondering what was taking Damon so long. What if he attacked Stefan? What if one of them got injured?

I tried to stay awake for as long as possible but eventually, my exhaustion won over. I must have been asleep for just a while when I felt someone gently picking me up from the arm chair. My eyes fluttered open a bit but the rocking motion lulled me back to sleep and I buried my head against something which was hard yet comfortable and smelt heavenly.

When my head finally rested on the pillows, I involuntarily sighed and snuggled into the soft covers. The last thing which I remembered was the feel of someone's lips against my forehead and the words "Sleep well, my beautiful wife."

**Awww, wasn't that just sweet? Oh and many of you have enquired about what promise Damon broke, well I was planning to write about it in this chapter but I changed my mind :P you will get to know about it in the next chapter, have patience!**

**Need I say it again? I love reading your feedback guys! Keep the awesome, mind blowing reviews coming!**

**Lots of love,**

**Vera. **_**(The 18 year old college going student who seriously needs to stop procrastinating and take time management classes.)**_


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

**Update time! Thanks you so much for all the reviews guys, your response to the previous chapter simply blew me away! Imaginary cookies to you all!**

**Warning :**** This chapter is a bit more intense than the others, and this story is not rated M without a reason so younger readers are warned.**

**Sorry in advance for any spelling mistakes/typos/grammatical errors, I didn't have time to proof read. Do point them out, I wouldn't mind at all!**

**Oh oh oh, before you start reading, I highly recommend that you listen to ****"Kiss me" by Ed Sheeran**** along with this chapter. Keep it on replay mode….believe me guys, the experience would be heightened 100x**

**Enjoy!**

**Elena**

For the second time since I came to Mystic Falls, I woke up in Damon's arms. The only difference this time was that I was married to him and was his wife by law.

Initially in the warm glow of my sleep, I didn't realize where I was and I sighed as I snuggled closer into the figure that was lying beside me. I smiled in my sleep as I felt a hand around my waist tighten and pull me closer. I somehow felt safe and secure…and warm. There wasn't a trace of chill inside the room and I could hear the fire crackling away in the fireplace.

"Well, isn't this a nice way to wake up?" A soft voice whispered in my ear. I didn't quite register the meaning and pulled myself closer to the warm figure beside me, intent on catching a little more sleep. I heard a deep and husky chuckle and my eyes fluttered open. The first site that greeted me was a pair of blue eyes which were staring at me with amusement.

"Good morning." He whispered, his eyes twinkling merrily.

"Oh!" I gasped as I hastily sat up and backed away, pulling the sheets around my body. "Damon?" I blinked twice to chase the remnants to sleep from my eyes and saw that he wasn't wearing anything on his torso. He was propped up on one elbow and our hands were almost touching. I slowly pulled my fingers back and curled them into a tight fist.

"You seem surprised." He stated as he ran his fingers through his inky black hair. Slight stubble covered his jaw and I couldn't help it as my eyes trailed down and took the rest of him in.

I noticed things which I hadn't noticed before. On some places on his body, there were faded red marks, like the skin had been burned. Other places, like his back, had long gashes on the surface. Unconsciously, I uncurled my fingers and moved my hands towards a particularly angry red mark on his abdomen. His eyes followed my movement with confusion and when my fingers came in contact with the muscles of his abdomen, I felt him stiffen up.

"I-I am sorry." I said as I let my hand fall limply onto the bed. What had I been thinking?

I was startled when he took my hand into his own and placed it back on his skin.

"You may." He said, the previous amusement winking out from his eyes. "You are my wife, Elena. You have the right to touch me in any way you want."

A deep red flush crept over my face as he said these words. "No!" I shouted, withdrawing my hand back. He looked bemused as I tried to form a coherent sentence.

"No, what I w-was trying to do was…I was just curious about those scars. Nothing else." I looked away, letting my hair fall over my shoulder to create a curtain between my face and Damon. My heart was beating faster than usual and I could hear the blood pounding in my ears.

"Ah." He drawled. I shot a quick glance at his face and saw that his expression was almost unreadable, like a stone. "These are battle scars."

I nodded dumbly while my mind whirred with a thousand images of Damon getting hurt in different ways. I winced and Damon smiled at me knowingly, without a trace of humor.

"Don't think about it." He said quietly as he took my hand into his and traced light circles on the back of it with his thumb. "I don't."

I decided to let it go even though I was burning with curiosity. I pulled my hand out of his as soon as my mind acknowledged it. He was still a stranger to me.

"What hour is it?" I muttered to myself as I looked out of the window.

"A little after dawn." He replied. I hadn't realized that he had been listening and I looked away when I saw that he was looking at me with an intense look in his eyes. The color of his eyes appeared a bit darker than usual, and his expression was that of….lust? Longing? Desire?

"Damon..?" I began. "What happened yesterday?"

"What do you think?" He fell back onto the bed and crossed his arms behind his head, a ghost of a smirk playing at his lips.

I broke into a cold sweat at his suggestive words. Surely he didn't mean….?

Yesterday had been the night of my consummation and as much as I tried, I couldn't recall a single event from last night. All I remembered was waiting for Damon to show up while I sat on the arm chair beside the fireplace.

"Did it happen then?" I asked him firmly, although I felt weaker than a glass on the inside. I inconspicuously flexed my legs and looked for signs of pain and soreness. I had heard many stories about this…_act_, and none of them had been very reassuring.

"_It's not a pleasurable act for a woman, Elena." Bonnie had whispered a few years ago. _I still remembered this conversation as if it had happened only yesterday.

"_How do you know that?" I had asked her, annoyed. "You haven't even…"_

"_I heard the girls from the kitchens talking about it today." She had said. _

"_I want to know more." I had pressed her._

"_I am not sure how it works but…when a man enters a woman; it's supposed to hurt a lot. There is even some blood involved." She had shuddered. _

Blood….there has to be blood. I scanned the bed sheets for signs of red but I found none. Damon burst out laughing as he noticed my behavior and rolled over the bed. He stood up in one fluid motion and came towards my side of the bed.

"Oh Elena, you are so innocent. So pure. You have no idea what it is like, do you?" He placed his slender fingered hands on both sides of my head and made me look up.

"So nothing happened last night?" I asked him, a slight tremor coming into my voice.

He shook his head "Nothing at all. You were fast asleep by the time I came here-" he stopped as a look of bemusement came over his face. "Was that a ruse to avoid our union?"

"What? No!" My face grew warm "Of course not."

"Glad to see you are so enthusiastic about the consummation of this marriage." He winked at me.

"Damon." I said, exasperated.

"At least you grew over the whole "my lord" thing." He rolled his eyes as he let go of my face and went towards the stone basin which was full of water. He splashed some onto his face and dried it off with a clean cloth which was hanging over the changing screen.

My eyes grew wide as his hands went over the clasps of his trousers and I looked away just in time as I heard the light cotton material hit the floor.

"What are you doing?" I cried out as I covered my eyes with my hands.

"Haven't you seen a man naked before?" He chuckled but then stopped "No, it would be better if you haven't." He muttered darkly. I still didn't dare to open my eyes and kept them tightly shut.

"I would rather you get dressed." I said to him, my voice sounding muffled as my face was covered with my hands. "Please."

"What is there to hide when one is as well…endowed as I am?" I could hear the hint of laughter in his voice as he said that. His words set my heart racing at an abnormal speed and my mind was flooded by unwanted images…

"Am I supposed to cover my ears as well now?" I snapped at him.

"Oh Alright, I'll get dressed, only if you help me wash."

"W-what?" My eyes snapped open and I looked up at him. Thankfully he was behind the changing screen and I heaved a sigh of relief but it only lasted for a second.

"Well, would you?" He called out impatiently.

"I …" My teeth sank into my lower lip. What was I supposed to do?

"Come on Elena, its cold. I can't stand here half dressed waiting for you all day long." He urged me.

I closed my eyes once, took a deep breath and got up from the bed, reluctantly letting the bed sheet slide down from my body. I was wearing a light cotton night gown and it didn't help much in covering up all that I wanted to cover. I tightened up a few loose laces and started making my way over to Damon with slow steps.

"Take your time, we have the whole day." He called out sarcastically. I quickened my pace and inhaled sharply when I stepped behind the screen. Thankfully Damon had an ankle length sheet wrapped loosely around his waist but still, he took my breath away. His back was facing me and I could clearly see the battle scars crisscrossing each other on his broad, muscular back.

He smirked at me over his shoulder and handed me a dry wash cloth. I dunked it into the basin beside me and found that the water was already warm.

"I am used to looking after myself, Elena." He said after I shot him a questioning look. "Life outside of this castle taught me that."

"Then I am sure that you are quite capable of washing yourself." I muttered.

"Oh, I am." He replied. I waited for him to elaborate but when he didn't, I cleared my throat as I got his meaning.

_Oh, I am…but I want you to do it anyway._

I wringed the cloth to expel any extra water and gently rubbed it over his left shoulder. His muscles flexed under my touch and I felt him inhale deeply. I bit my lower lip hard as I moved downward, my fingers gently trailing over a particularly angry red mark. It didn't look new as it had a faded quality about it. I almost drew blood from my lip when I felt him sigh deeply. It sounded more like a muffled moan and it pierced right through my soul.

I continued washing him, my hands growing more confident by the second.

"Turn around." I whispered when I was done with his back. I didn't meet his eyes as I soaked the cloth back in the warm water and brought it to his chest. As my hand swept over it, his hand suddenly shot up and held mine in place, directly over his heart. His heart was beating a little faster than usual and my head snapped up to look at him.

"See what you do to me." He said. "Are you a witch?"

"I…" I couldn't form a coherent thought, let alone a sentence. His midnight hair waved their way down to his forehead and ended pointing out in every direction. His lashes were colored darker than the night, if that was possible. I saved the last bit for the end….his eyes. His beautiful…beautiful eyes. Was it even possible for such a color to exist?

He gently took my hand from his chest and placed it over my own, with his hand still on top of mine. He closed his eyes as a small smile graced his lips. My stomach flipped, like I had missed a step while going down the stairs.

All of a sudden, his eyes snapped open and he stepped back. The smile had all but vanished from his face and he turned around and walked away from me, the satin sheets still clinging loosely around his waist.

"Damon?" I managed. What was wrong with him?

"I'll leave you alone, so that you can get dressed. Be ready for our reception downstairs." He replied. His voice lacked the previous warmth and now he sounded….cold. Formal.

Wait….reception? We were having a reception?

"Damon!"

"What?" He peeked over the screen, looking annoyed.

"You forgot your clothes, my lord." I said, trying to keep a straight face.

"Clothes….right." He had the dignity to look sheepish as he collected them from our cupboard and exited the room without a further glance back.

**Damon**

Focus. I needed to focus. This was Elena….not…not _her._

I banged on Alaric's door "Oi! You better not be with a whore in your bed this time!"

"What do you want?" Came his muffled reply from inside. I rolled my eyes as I hammered onto his door again.

"Damon…what?" He opened the door partly. From what I saw, he was not wearing any garment. I pushed inside and he stumbled back, looking exasperated as he adjusted his trousers around his waist and ran a hand over his face.

"Where is she?" I inspected the room. I looked under the table, under the bed and threw the curtains apart but I found no trace of a woman.

" I am alone, for god's sake! Can't a man hope to catch a good night's sleep?" He grumbled at me. "And how does it concern you anyway?"

"It doesn't. It's just annoying. Get a proper woman or just give up your man hood. Surviving on these cheap whores…." I shuddered to emphasize my point.

"Alright, alright…was there something you needed? If not then get out of here." He said as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"I needed to talk."

"About what?"

"You know what." I snapped at him as I threw myself down on a chair. "Maybe I made a mistake…"

"Now now now." Alaric held up his hands "Don't even thinking about it. You have already caused a whole lot of trouble as it is."

"I wouldn't hurt her Alaric. Whenever I look at her…it's like…I don't know. She is the spitting image of my past!" I pinched the bridge of my nose between my thumb and index finger. "It's like fate is playing a cruel jest on me."

"And since when do you believe in fate?" Alaric raised his eyebrows as he poured me a glass of mead. "Damon Salvatore builds his own destiny. Remember?"

I grunted in response as I accepted the glass with him and took a deep draught. Sweet.

"Look at it this way, Damon. Maybe you are getting another chance to…make it right." He placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed it lightly.

"Now now, don't make use of my vulnerability, Alaric." I shrugged his hand off as I grinned at him "I am a married man now."

He swore loudly as he got the meaning of my words. "You're impossible."

"Right, so get dressed. Time to attend my reception." I got up and slammed the empty bronze glass on the table, feeling energized. "You have two minutes, Saltzman."

"Did I mention that you are the reincarnation of Satan?"

"Why, I have been called worse! And oh-" I paused at the door frame "Next time, find a better hiding place for your whores." I threw a meaningful glance towards the changing screen and walked out to the sound of Alaric cursing.

Xxxx

"Right, so…I have monitored all the arrangements myself and I hope that they please you and your new wife." Caroline said stiffly, her eyes fixed on a point above my head. "The flowers are white tulips according to your preference and I specially looked over the preparation of the meals. Everything is in order."

"Why, thank you." I inclined my head in her direction. "Is it just me or do you sound like you are about to murder me in cold blood?"

"No I think I agree with you to some extent." She gave me a false smile, which contained not even the slightest bit of sincerity. "Boiled alive or beheading? You choose."

"Shh! If Saint Stefan hears that, he will get ideas of his own." I smirked while she shot me a glare. I cut her off just as she opened her mouth.

"Look Caroline, I am not going to explain my actions to you over and over again. Or to anyone, for that matter." I crossed my hands behind my back. ""So it would be better if you limit the quantity of your questions."

"Fine. As you say." She nodded curtly as she turned around to leave. I stepped forward and took hold of her wrist.

"Aww Carol, don't be like that. Did you really miss me all these years or was it just the bickering?" I asked her as I turned her around to face me.

"I missed my brother, Damon. And I don't know who you are." With that, she wrenched her hand out my grasp and left without sparing me another glance. Her words pierced through me like an arrow. A really sharp, pointed, venom coated arrow.

"Huh, so many saints…how will the Satan survive?" I muttered to myself as I appraised the grand hall. Every available surface was covered in freshly cut white tulips. The huge dining table in the centre of the room, which held to capacity to seat a hundred people, was draped with an embroidered white cloth and the golden and silver plates and utensils were gleaming in the light cast by a thousand candles and lanterns. Caroline had indeed, done an extraordinary job. Her gesture touched me even though her words stated otherwise.

Guests were beginning to stream in through the double doors. My father and my mother descended down the royal stairway, their faces not betraying any kind of stress or anger. They were better actors than I gave them credit for. They greeted the guests and servants and handmaids scuttled through the crowd, carrying various delicacies and drinks on silver platters.

For this occasion, I had combed my hair back over my forehead to appear somewhat decent. It had been quite a task but I had managed it somehow. I was donned all in black and my sword was strapped at my waist, as was the custom.

"She's here!" I heard a group of ladies point in a certain direction. I turned around and saw Elena gliding down the stairway with her handmaidens trailing behind her, holding the train of her long royal blue gown. For the second time in two days, she took my breath away.

Her long hair fell in perfect waves around her waist and the neckline of her dress was a bit deeper than her other garments but still decent enough for a gathering. Even among all the candles and lanterns, she was the most luminous being present.

"You took your time." I said teasingly as I took one of her gloved hand and kissed it. I was pleased when she inclined her head and curtsied to me. Few women had manners as impeccable as those of Elena.

"Apologies, My lord." She said formally.

"Shall we?" I offered her my arm and I lead her off into the crowd. I scanned the faces of the people present and noticed that I recognized some of them. Vaguely.

"Damon." Alaric came up to us and nodded in my direction. "My lady." He bowed to Elena.

"Ser Alaric, I am pleased to see you here." Elena nodded at him. "Um, Damon..?"

"Yes Elena?" I looked down at her and smiled.

"Where are my father and mother? I can't see them anywhere…not even Jeremy." She said as she scanned the crowd warily.

Alaric cleared his throat "I am afraid that they left two days ago, My lady."

"What?" I asked him sharply. Lord Grayson and Lady Miranda had left? "Is it true?"

His silence gave us the answer we needed.

"I…" Elena laughed nervously "I wasn't expecting that. No."

"Life is full of unexpected things. The quicker you learn that, the better." I said as I put my hands around her waist and pulled her closer. She stiffened up at the contact but didn't pull away. Soon after that, a stream of guests starting coming up to us to offer their congratulations. Elena was soft spoken and polite as usual and while I couldn't say the same for myself, I maintained a dignified silence.

"You could be a bit more responsive, you know." Alaric whispered to me while his eyes darted around the hall.

"Dull." I replied back. "I am going for a quick drink." And with that, I took Elena's hand and pulled her along with me to the table where drinks were being served.

"Are you thirsty?" I asked her. I grinned when she shook her head.

"Ah I see. Saving your thirst for later tonight, aren't you?"

She went red as soon as the words were out of my mouth and I chuckled. "I love it when you do that. It reminds me of the power that I have over you." I brought up my hand and gently traced a finger down her cheek. It felt soft and warm.

"Don't overestimate yourself." She replied as she swatted my hand away.

"He does that, doesn't he?" A deep voice called out from behind us. I turned around and saw none other than Niklaus Mikaelson standing behind me with Caroline at his arm.

"Oh, I know you." I said as I took a sip from my goblet of wine. "You are the one who begged me not to kill you at the tournament."

"_Damon!"_ Elena hissed at me but I didn't pay attention to her.

Niklaus was the heir to the throne of the Sunlands down south. His family was one of the most influential ones in the whole realm but that didn't stop me from putting him down.

"Well, that's not how I was expecting to start a conversation…"

"See what I told you about expecting the unexpected, Elena?" I smirked down at her. Beside Klaus, Caroline looked infuriated.

"Dear brother, I would like to introduce you and Elena to my fiancé, Niklaus Mikaelson." She said coldly while tightening her grasp on Klaus's arm. What?

"Really?" I rounded up on Caroline "How come was I not aware of this?"

"You would have been, had you paid more attention to other things." She snapped at me.

"So." Klaus cleared his throat, obviously intent on avoiding any sort of confrontation. "I assume this is your wife?"

"A pleasure to meet you, Ser Niklaus."

"The pleasure is mine, My lady Salvatore. Please call me Klaus." He inclined his head and kissed Elena's hand. While it was common courtesy, this simple act still made my blood boil.

"So if you're done…?" I interjected as I pulled Elena closer to my side, intent on getting her away from Klaus.

"We'll be meeting quite frequently from now on, since I am betrothed to your lovely sister, Ser Damon." Klaus said. He had a southern accent from the Sunlands and there was a strange quality about the mannerisms of this man which made me uncomfortable around him.

"Unfortunately." I muttered quietly and I was satisfied when Klaus's expression changed. He had heard me.

"I understand that you have some previous estrangements from me. So how about I offer you a truce?" Klaus brought his hand forward, a winning smile playing over his lips.

"I'll consider your offer…Not."

And before any of them could say anything, I turned to Elena. "Would you like to dance with me, my wife?"

"I…would love to." Elena replied carefully. I lead her away towards the centre of the room where couples were dancing around us.

"Is it just me or are you always like that with everyone else?" Elena asked me sourly as I placed my hands over her waist and started spinning around with her in light, coordinated circles.

"Always like that, I am afraid." I said as she placed a hand over my shoulder. "I order you to stay away from that person. Am I clear?"

"You could have stated that a bit more politely…" She narrowed her eyes.

"Am I clear, Elena?" My tone left no room for argument and in the end she conceded by nodding.

I noticed that she danced quite well and her movements were in perfect synchronization with mine. It was an enchanting experience.

"Damon, I hope you realize that my talking and dancing with you in no way, lessens my loathing for you?" She said suddenly.

"Like I haven't heard that one before." I muttered. "And," I said a bit more loudly "You'll come around with time. They all did."

"I really want to ask you what you mean but I am afraid of the answer." She said as I spun her around in a circle. I smiled when I heard her giggle lightly and clutch me for support.

Soon It was time to switch dancing partners and I danced with Caroline for a while who was stiff and unresponsive in my arms. I took a break from dancing after that and called over a servant who was carrying a platter full of wine and mead.

"Keep it here and leave."

"A-all of it, sire?"

"Don't make me repeat myself."

The servant girl scurried away even before I completed my sentence. I nursed a glass of wine in my hands as I observed the people. I was onto my third glass of wine when I felt someone tap onto my shoulder.

"Yes?" I turned around, my movements a bit tipsy due to the amount of wine I had consumed.

"Remember me, my lord?" A beautiful, read headed girl…no, _woman _stood in front of me.

"Sage?" I took a step back in surprise. I had met Sage a few years back in the south during one of my tournaments.

"At your service, my lord." She curtsied, giving me a good view of her ample bosom. "Would you care for a dance, for old time's sake?"

"Of course." I led her towards the dance floor and we started spinning around to the rhythm of the music.

"It's been what…three years?" She said in a husky voice as she linked her arms around my neck in a very suggestive manner. Sage was a couple of years older than me and had been widowed twice with both of her husbands dying very mysteriously and leaving her a large amount of gold and no children to inherit it.

"Must have been. I didn't count." I replied as I swayed around with her. Seeing her brought back many memories to my mind, and some of them were not very pleasant.

"You seem a bit withdrawn, my lord." She whispered against my neck. In my drunken stupor, I just chuckled at her. "And you seem very playful. Since you are at this place, you must know that this is the reception for my marriage?"

"I do." Her expression dropped but that didn't stop her "But just one night wouldn't matter, would it?"

"Sage…"

"Come with me, My lord." She took my hand and led me behind a pillar which blocked most of the view from the hall. She started unlacing the top of her dress while she practically threw herself at me.

"Sage…Sage!" I pushed her back and adopted my most innocent expression. "I was meaning to say one thing first.." I purred.

"Say it, my lord.." Her bosom heaved heavily as she panted, her eyed fixed on my face.

"Whores don't interest me anymore." And without sparing her another glance, I brushed past her and went into the hall. Despite everything, my blood was running hot and wild through my veins and with the amount of wine I had drank, I was finding it almost impossible to curb my needs.

I scanned the crowd for Elena and when I finally spotted her, I almost let out an animalistic roar. She was on the floor, dancing with none other than Stefan. For a second, I felt like unsheathing my sword and having my way but in the end, my rational side-if I had any- won, and I roughly pushed past people to get to them.

When Elena saw me coming, she broke away from Stefan.

"Damon…I.."

"Upstairs. Now." I grabbed her arm and started dragging her away from Stefan and away from the crowd. I was done for the night.

"Damon! Let go of me this instance! You're hurting me." She cried out from behind me even as I ruthlessly dragged her along. The crowd parted before me and I was able to navigate our way easily enough, even though the wine coursing through my blood was making it difficult for me to maintain my balance. I could hear Stefan shouting behind me but I didn't pay him any attention.

"Be quiet!" I roared at Elena as she protested from behind me. She instantly fell silent and I led her upstairs and to our bed chambers. The guards posted in front of my doors bowed at us uneasily.

"Get away from here and don't come back till the morning." I spat at them.

"But sire-"

I unsheathed my sword and within a second, the guard was pressed up against the wall with my razor sharp sword at his neck.

"WHY DO I ALWAYS FEEL THE NEED TO REPEAT MYSELF IN THIS KINGDOM?" I roared at him as I pressed the sword against the exposed skin of his neck.

"Apologies…apologies, my lord." The guard whimpered for his life while Elena gasped behind me.

"Out!" I shouted and the guards were out of my sight within two blinks.

I took hold of Elena's hand and shoved her inside the bedroom and barred the doors behind myself.

"Damon! What has gotten into you?" She cried out. I didn't reply as I shoved her against the wall and before she could utter a word, I kissed her. I kissed her like I had never kissed before. My body was driven by a wild, animalistic force which even I wasn't aware of. Her lips felt warm and moist beneath my own and they tasted delicious. I broke the kiss but my lips never left her skin. I trailed kisses down her neck and collarbone as my hands slid down from her face towards her shoulder and I tried to unlace her dress. Elena was all but a statue beneath me and her face displayed pure shock.

My mind was singularly focused on one task and even though a small voice inside me was yelling at me that what I was doing was wrong on a thousand levels, I couldn't stop myself. I was too far gone, driven by lust and anger.

"Damon….please…don't." She whimpered but the meaning of her words did not register in my mind.

In my lust, I bit her lower lip as I finally slid the dress off her shoulders and it fell onto the floor in a puddle of molten silk. I picked her slender form up in my arms and lead her into our bed chambers where I roughly threw her onto the bed and got on her of her.

"Oh…Katherine…" I whispered the first name that came into my mind. I felt her stiffen up beneath me but I was totally out of my senses to notice that.

She did not protest but she also did not respond to my advances and her hands were resting limply against my chest. I broke away from our kiss and appraised her exposed skin, taking it all in hungrily. Her chest was firmly pressed against my own and I let my hands trail down from her shoulders as I gently caressed the curve of her breasts. She whimpered slightly and closed her eyes, as if she didn't want to see me. A single tear escaped her eye and at that moment, the gravity of what I had done hit me.

The girl beneath me was Elena, not Katherine.

And I had broken my first promise to her. The promise that I would never hurt her.

**So…..that was hard to write. I believe I am about to get some really intense reviews for this one!**

**A drunk Damon is often hilarious but that combined with lust and anger? *shudders* I wouldn't cross him. Feedback is always appreciated and I would love to hear your theories about what would happen in the future of this story!**

**There, that was the promise he broke. He hurt Elena emotionally as well as physically. Sorta.**

**Until next time!**


End file.
